It Started With Coffee
by explosivesky
Summary: Luke meets Rory when she comes in the diner looking for coffee. Lorelai is still a maid at the inn, and Rory is only five. It will eventually be JavaJunkie. T-rating because of language and scenes in later chapters. Sorry, I am not good at summaries, but trust me, it will be a good story! I have it all planned out! Review and Follow!
1. Chapter 1: A Kid Without Jam Hands

**Chapter 1: A Kid Without Jam Hands**

When the bells rang above the door, Luke was back in the kitchen preparing for the dinner rush. As he headed back into the dining room, he didn't see anyone. Before he could turn around to go back into the kitchen, a small voice rung out from in front of the counter.

"Hello."

On the other side of the counter stood a girl, who definitely couldn't have been any older than five.

"Uh… hi. Can I help you with something," he said carefully?

"Are you Luke?"

"Yes. And you are?"

"My name is Rory Gilmore."

Shaking his head at the thought of someone allowing such a young child to wander all by themselves, he questioned, "Aren't you a little young to be in a diner all by yourself? Where is your mom?"

"Uh," she scoffed, "For your information, I am five years old, as of last October, and my mommy is at work. Mrs. Mia, I mean Mia, she doesn't like it when I add the "Mrs.", sent me here to get some coffee."

"Sorry kid… I mean Rory. I'm not getting you any coffee. That stuff will kill you."

"It's not for me! I'm taking it back to surprise mommy! She has had a bad week; my daddy didn't show up again. She really loves coffee, and Mia said that you had really good coffee, so while she is talking to Miss Patty, I am here to get coffee. Can I have some pleeeeeaaassssee?"

"Fine," Luke said as his grumpy demeanor began to crumble. There was something about Rory. She wasn't annoying like other kids, and she was surprisingly well mannered. She did ramble a little too much, but at least she didn't have jam hands.

"Thank you so much Luke! Mia was right, you aren't as mean as you act!" At that, Luke couldn't help but grin.

"Here you go. One large cup of coffee,"

"Okay. How much do I owe you?"

"Well most people owe me $1.75," Luke explained kindly as Rory began to dig in her pockets and count her change, "But for you, it is free."

"But why? Mommy says that nothing is free without strings attached."

Luke was caught off guard by such a mature response, and stood gaping for a moment.

"Well," Rory said with a hint of confusion in her voice, "Why don't I have to pay?"

Thinking before he spoke, Luke finally replied, "Well Rory, what your mom says is true, most of the time. What she doesn't know is that I give discounts to kids who are nice and well mannered. Since you were so kind, I am giving you 100% off, so it is free." _Oh gosh, what am I doing? I have never given a discount to kids. I hate kids… well, apparently, Rory is an exception._

"Really? Thanks Luke! I think you're super kind too," Rory said as she turned to walk out to meet Mia, "Much nicer than Taylor! He treats me like I am a baby when we go to Doose's."

Before she made it out the door, she quickly turned around and added, "If I come back sometime, will you be here?"

"Uh yeah, why," Luke asked confused, "I own this place so I kinda have to be here."

"Well it smells good in here, so you can probably cook. My mommy can't cook, so when I tell her there is a diner in town, she will probably want to come here a lot. Also, if your coffee is as good as Mia says it is, Mommy will want to come in and get some more. She loves coffee. She'd probably have it in an IV if she could."

With that, she turned and walked out the door. All Luke could do was stand there and laugh. He had never met such an interesting kid.

* * *

By the end of the week, Rory and her mom hadn't come into the diner. Mia had called Luke during the week to see if he could come and fix the book case at the inn, so on Saturday, that is exactly what he did.

As he walked up the drive that evening, he noticed a little girl running straight for him. Before he knew it, he was met with a hug around his leg. "Hi Luke! Mia said you were coming to fix the book case in the lobby! I love books! Ca…"

Before she could finish her next sentence, Mia walked out onto the porch and interrupted. "Lucas! Thank you for coming. I see you have a fan."

A small grin spread across his face as he replied, "Apparently so. Who knew giving a kid a cup of coffee would make them love you for life?"

"Well Rory is a special kid," Mia stated plainly as she turned to Rory, "Hey Rory, why don't you go find your mom and tell her I need her at the front desk while I show Luke the shelves?"

"Okay," she replied sweetly. "Oh, once I get Mommy can I come watch Luke? Mommy doesn't know how to fix anything, and my shelves are broken too. If I watch Luke, then maybe I can help Mommy fix mine."

"I can fix those too," Luke said, before realizing what he was volunteering to do. _What is it about this kid that makes me want to be so generous?_

"Oh my gosh Luke! You would do that? You are the best diner man ever!" Rory exclaimed, hugging him once again. Once she let go, she turned and ran off to get Lorelai.

"That was mighty nice of you to say Lucas. It looks like that little girl has you wrapped around her finger," Mia said softly while guiding Luke into the inn, "What's this I hear about discounts for kids?"

Luke blushed. "Yes Mia. Rag me all you want, but it doesn't hurt to be nice sometimes, and she seems like a good kid. She kind of reminds me of Jess." With that, he turned and began working on the shelves.

* * *

As Luke finished rebuilding the book shelves, he heard tiny footsteps approaching, which he knew had to belong to Rory.

As he turned around, she immediately began talking. "Wow Luke, the shelf looks just like it did before it broke!"

"Well that's definitely what I was going for. Now about your bookshelves, do you still want me to fix those? Is your mom okay with that?"

"Oh yeah! I still want them fixed, but I forgot to ask Mommy if that was okay. Let me go get her, and I'll introduce you."

When Rory reentered with Lorelai, Luke could hardly believe what he saw. Lorelai was exceptionally beautiful, but one major thing stood out. She looked extremely young. _How is she old enough to be the mom to a five-year-old?_

"I'm back Luke! This is my mommy, Lorelai Gilmore. My name is Lorelai too, but I have a different middle name, and I go by Rory. It would be too confusing to have two Lorelai's."

Luke let out a small laugh as he extended his hand. "Nice to meet you Lorelai Gilmore."

She shook his hand as she replied, "So you are the famous Luke? Rory hasn't stopped talking about you since she met you. Thanks for being so kind to her, you really made an impression."

"Oh, it's no problem," Luke said rather shyly as he started at Lorelai. _Wow, she is pretty. Ah, jeez! What am I thinking. She's got a kid. She wouldn't have any interest in dating._

Lorelai noticed Luke's staring and blushed, trying to figure out what to say next. _Wow, he is handsome. What am I saying? I can't date; I have Rory. I have to worry about her needs first._

An awkward silence developed, but Rory, oblivious to the staring match in front of her, happily interrupted. "So are you just gonna stare at each other, or are we gonna fix my book case? I mean, I like my floor pile system, but I would rather be able to use my shelves again."

Both Luke and Lorelai snapped out of their trance. Luke grinned sheepishly as Lorelai fumbled for her words, "Oh yeah, um, that's fine Rory. Let's go show Luke the potting shed so he can do what he needs to do."

* * *

By the time Luke was almost finished, it was around dinner time.

"Mommy?"

"Yes hon?"

"What are we going to eat for dinner?"

"Well, I don't think we have any leftovers for Al's left, so I guess I'll get Sookie to whip us up something before she leaves for the night."

"Oooo, but what about Luke's?"

"Well, considering that Luke is here fixing your shelf, I doubt we could go to his diner…"

"Oh yeah," Rory said with a frown slowly growing across her face.

Noticing Rory's disappointment, Lorelai quickly amended, "Unless Luke wants us to come to the diner when he is done. What do you think Luke?"

At this point in time, Luke was completely invested in repairing the shelf, so he didn't notice he was being asked a question.

"Hey Luke," Lorelai called out again, "Luke!"

Startled, Luke jumped up quickly and whacked his head on the shelf. "Oh shhhh… I mean crap!"

Trying not to let out a giggle, Lorelai ran over to Luke to make sure he was okay. "Oh my gosh Luke! Are you alright? I am so sorry; I didn't mean to scare you like that!"

Rubbing his head, he replied achingly, "It's alright," _Shit this hurts_ "What did you want?"

"Well, I was going to ask you whether you cared if we came and ate at the diner after you finished, but now that I just caused your injury, I am not so sure you'd like that."

"Honestly Lorelai, it's fine. It doesn't hurt that bad," he replied softly, "I'll be done with the shelves in a minute. I don't mind you and Rory coming to the diner at all." _I wouldn't mind spending time with you. Wow, where did that come from. First the daughter, now her mother. How am I so attached already?_

"Yay," Rory exclaimed, "You're going to love it! He has really cool decorations in there! There is a dancing pork chop on the wall!"

Luke and Lorelai looked at each other and laughed. "Oh the things my daughter notices!"


	2. Chapter 2: I Volunteer

**Chapter 2: I Volunteer**

In the weeks after Luke fixed Rory's shelves, Lorelai and Rory became regulars at the diner. Luke and Lorelai developed a steady banter, which was usually flirtatious, though neither would admit it, and they had also become close enough for them to know a lot about each other's personal lives. As far as Luke's relationship with Rory, it continued to grow. With Chris's continued neglect of his child, Rory began to rely on Luke as the sole male influence in her life.

Just as they did most nights, Lorelai and Rory strolled into the diner for dinner one Tuesday, but this time, something was different.

"Hey Luke. I'll take my usual," Lorelai said gloomily as she reached the table in the corner of the diner.

"Ooh, me too! I'll have what mommy gets," Rory said hopefully as she sat down at the table and pulled out a book.

Noticing Lorelai's mood, Luke didn't put up an argument about their unhealthy habits. Rather, he grabbed the largest mug in the diner, filled it with coffee, and gave it Lorelai willingly.

"You're giving me the big mug today? What's the special occasion," Lorelai questioned.

"That's the question I wanted to ask you. Is everything alright?"

"Uh, yeah," she replied sipping her coffee and shooting her glance to Rory and back to Luke.

"Oh okay," he answered, realizing she didn't want to talk about it in front of Rory. "By the way, I've got those things for you in the storage room. Did you want to come look at them?"

"What things," she answered, confused by his sudden change in topic. Quickly, though, she realized that he just wanted to talk to her. "Oh… oh yeah, those things. I'll take a look at them now. Hey Rory, you stay put here, and I am gonna go with Luke really quickly."

Before walking out of the room, Lorelai noticed Patty at another table and asked her to watch Rory while she talked to Luke. "Oh yes, dear! I'll definitely watch her while you _talk_ to Luke," she said with a wink."

Ignoring her implications, Luke and Lorelai both headed towards the store room and shut the door behind them.

* * *

Before Luke could even start the conversation, tears started falling down Lorelai's cheeks. "Hey, hey, hey, what are the tears for," Luke asked as he pulled her into his embrace. He had very little experience with people crying, so hugging her was the only thing he could think of.

Still leaning into his shoulder, she began to explain. "Rory's school is having a family picnic this Saturday, and she keeps asking for Chris to come, but I don't know how to break the news to her that he can't." She began to cry harder and continued," He has moved to California, and he won't even answer my phone calls. I'm so tired of him letting her down!"

After hearing about Chris and his carelessness over the past few weeks, Luke wanted to rant about how much of an ass Chris was, but he knew that Lorelai needed his support instead. Before he knew it, he began to reply, but what came out of his mouth was something that neither of them expected. "Umm, if you wanted, I could come with you. I know I am not her father, and we aren't dating and all. Plus, she may not even want me to come, but I am willing to if it will make her feel better about not having her dad there."

Shocked by how much he seemed to care for Rory, Lorelai had no words. Instead, she let her actions speak and pulled him closer. When she finally had a coherent thought, she questioned quietly, "You would really take time off from the diner to spend the day with a five-year-old and her emotional mother just to make them feel better?"

Blushing, Luke pulled back and looked Lorelai straight in the eye. "I know we haven't been friends for long. Well, I don't even know if you consider us friends, but I have grown to care a bit for Rory… and for you." Hearing that she smiled and he continued. "If it means that it saves you from a sleepless night or saves Rory from being let down, then I am up for anything, especially something as simple as this picnic." _Oh goodness, did I really just tell her that I care for her. What if this freaks her out?_

 _Did he just say he cared for us… for me? How did Rory and I get so lucky to find him? He is an amazing guy._ "Wow, um, thanks Luke, she said nervously, "Honestly, I can't thank you enough. We are pretty lucky to have you…I'll definitely talk to Rory about it and let you know."

As soon as it was no longer evident that she had been crying, they turned to head back into the diner. Before they completely emerged, Lorelai stopped Luke, smiled brightly, and whispered, "For the record, I do think of you has a friend. Don't tell Sookie, but I think you may be my best friend."

Without allowing him to respond, she turned and pulled him with her into the diner.

* * *

Despite a meltdown over Chris not wanting to come, Rory was relieved that Luke was willing to take her dad's place. The morning of the picnic, Lorelai and Rory were busy getting ready.

"Hey Rory, have you seen my black tennis shoes? I checked the shoe basket, but they aren't in there."

"Mommy, didn't you throw them under the bed and try to kill that spider the other day?"

"Oh yea," she cringed, "Don't remind me. I guess I won't be wearing those today, or ever again."

Instead of getting a laugh out of Rory, like she normally would, Lorelai noticed that Rory suddenly became quiet. "Rory, is everything okay?"

"Huh, umm yeah. I am fine."

"Kid, I know you've got something on your mind. You didn't even laugh at my irrational response to spiders like you normally do. What's wrong?"

A tear slid down Rory's cheek, and she ran to Lorelai's side. "Mama, I am worried."

 _Oh gosh, she called me Mama. She hasn't called me that since she was two. She must really be upset._ "Aw hon, what has you so worried that you are crying?"

"Do you think Luke will leave us?"

"Leave us? You mean at the picnic? No Rory, he said he would be with us all day."

"No, not at the picnic mommy, I mean, do you think he will leave us like Daddy did? I like having Luke around. He is really nice, he cooks for us, he fixes my shelves, and he helps make you happy. I know you were sad at the diner the other day, and he helped fix it."

"Oh Rory," Lorelai began, but she was cut off with more tears and more cries from Rory.

"Mommy, I just don't want him to turn his back on me like Daddy does!"

On the verge of tears herself, Lorelai bent down, picked up Rory, and pulled her close. "Oh, my baby, I can't promise that Luke will be around forever, but I know that he cares about you and wants to be around you. He told me himself...Why don't we leave a little early so we can talk to him about this?"

Sniffling quietly, Rory softly replied, "Okay, let's do that."

* * *

When Lorelai and Rory walked into the diner, Luke was faced with a mid-morning lull, leaving the perfect opportunity for them to talk to him. As was the case when they came in on Tuesday night, Luke once again noticed that something was off, but this time, it was Rory that was upset.

"Hey hon, why don't you go choose a table to sit at while I go talk to Luke really quick?"

"Okay, make sure you hurry though," Rory replied, not wanting to let Lorelai go.

As she approached the counter where Luke was standing, she began to whisper, "Hey, you got a minute?"

"Yeah. I don't want to get involved in something I am not supposed to, but what's wrong with Rory? Is she having second thoughts about me coming to the picnic, because if so, I am fine with not going," Luke replied with hesitation.

"Actually... it's just the opposite," she said while walking around the counter and pulling him into the kitchen. "She had a little break down this morning while getting ready. Um, I don't really know how to approach this topic, but are you planning on staying around a while?"

"Staying around? You mean at the picnic? I already told you I'd be there all day."

Giggling a little bit because of how similar his answer was to hers earlier, she continued, "Um, no. I mean as a friend to me and to Rory?"

"Didn't we…" he began to reply, but she cut him off, knowing what he was about to say.

"I know that we just discussed the other day how you care for us, but I just don't want Rory to get too attached if you aren't planning on staying for the long run. With all the shit that Chris has put her through with his broken promises, I don't want her to have to face that again if you decide to jump ship all of a sudden." _It would hurt me if you left too. Wait, did I really just think that?_

"Lorelai," Luke began gently, "I don't know about you, but, uh, I, um, like how things have been lately. It's nice having the two of you around. I haven't been this, uh, close to anyone since… you know, my parents… and I have no intentions of leaving you, I mean, the both of you any time soon."

She released the breath she didn't even realize she was holding, and replied thankfully, "Okay good. Um, if you don't mind, would you tell Rory that too?"

"Of course, it's no problem."

Leading Luke out of the kitchen, Lorelai pulled him to the table with her, and they both sat across from Rory. "Hey hon, so Luke has something he wants to ask to you about."

"Hey Rory, I heard that you might have had a little bit of a problem this morning while getting ready, did you want to talk to me about that?"

Hesitantly, Rory turned to Luke and began to speak quietly, "Umm, I was wondering if you were gonna stay mine and Mommy's friend for a long time? I don't want to sound like a baby, but I don't want you to leave like Daddy does."

Realizing how desperate Rory was for reassurance, Luke thought about his response carefully. When he was satisfied with what he came up with, he began gently, "You know Rory, I don't know what the future holds, but there is one thing I know for sure. You and your Mommy are very special to me, and I enjoy spending time with the both of you. Can I make a promise to you?"

"Are you going to keep your promise," Rory replied carefully.

"Of course, and just to be extra safe, we can do a pinky promise" _Pinky promise? Where did that come from. I haven't done one of those since I was five._

"Okay," Rory replied happily, "Mommy and I always do pinky promises, and she always keeps her promises."

"Alright then. Rory, I promise that no matter what happens, I will use all of my power to stay friends with you and your Mommy. I don't want to leave you." _I have never been surer about anything in my life._

Satisfied with what he said, Rory quickly linked their pinkies and ran around the table, throwing herself to Luke for a hug. "You're the best Luke! You are so good at making me and Mommy feel better! Now, let's get this show on the road and go to the picnic!"

Watching this scene unfold, Lorelai realized just how amazing her friendship with Luke was. _He is so good with her. She has never trusted anyone this much. Scratch that, neither of us have ever trusted anyone this much. I really hope he keeps this promise._

* * *

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you actually got me to do that! I haven't done a three-legged race since I was in middle school," Lorelai exclaimed in a fit of giggles as she, Rory, and Luke entered the diner.

"Mommy, you and Luke looked so funny! It was even funnier when you fell, and Luke had to pick you up and carry you the rest of the race!"

"Aww, why are you so mean to Mommy," Lorelai asked with mock sadness, turning to Luke, "Sorry about that by the way. I warned you though! I am terrible at anything that requires the slightest bit of athletic ability!"

Chuckling, Luke replied, "Well at least Rory and I were able to win the water balloon toss. Hey Rory, who taught you how to throw like that? I thought you said that you have never played any kind of sports before."

"I haven't, and normally I am reeeaalllyy bad at games that require me to throw and catch things. You are just a good partner," Rory stated happily, "Oooo, I forgot what are we going to do with this," she asked, holding up her trophy, "Can we put it on the shelf here?"

"Well…" Luke began, before Lorelai cut him off. "I don't know hon, there's not a lot of room on the shelves. Plus, Luke doesn't like changing the decorations in the diner, remember?" Lorelai was referencing a conversation in which Luke revealed to them that he hadn't changed any of the decorations since his dad died.

"Right… Sorry Luke, I didn't mean to forget. I really don't want to mess up anything your daddy did."

"Oh, no Rory, it's fine," Luke said reassuringly, "You earned that trophy, so we need to display it, and I think I know just the spot." With one quick motion, Luke lifted a surprised Rory onto his shoulders and allowed her to place the trophy on the center of the shelf behind the counter.

Once they made their way back to the table, Rory pulled at his sleeve so he would bend down. Immediately, she put her arms around him and said graciously, "Thank you for letting me put my trophy here. I want people to see it here, because you helped me win it… You did a good job being my daddy today. I know you aren't my real daddy, but I'm happy you acted like you were."

Hearing her words, Luke glanced at Lorelai nervously. _Did she just say imply that she thought of me like her dad? I hope this doesn't freak Lorelai out._ As if she knew what he was thinking, Lorelai gave him a small smile of reassurance, and began to speak, "Alright hon, I know you had a great time with Luke today, but I think we need to be heading back to the inn."

"Awww, Mommy, I don't want the day to end yet! I'm not tired," Rory replied, trying to hide a yawn.

"I don't know Rory, you seem pretty tired to me."

"I promise, I am not! Can Luke come over and watch a movie with us?"

"Ummm… I have no problem with it, but what do you think Luke?"

"Well, if you don't mind, then I don't mind."

"Yay! Movie night with Luke," Rory exclaimed happily.

With that, the happy "family" made their way to Luke's truck and back to the inn.

* * *

On the short drive to the inn, Rory had fallen asleep, just as Lorelai suspected she would. While Lorelai carried Rory in to tuck her in bed, Luke carried the rest of the stuff they brought to the picnic back to the shed. After he sat their stuff inside, Luke motioned as if he was going to leave, but Lorelai stopped him. "You know, just because Rory went to sleep doesn't mean that the offer to stay a while doesn't still stand. If you want to stay and hang out with me, you can." _Oh my gosh, why am I offering him this. This is going to make it sound like a date! Wait, why doesn't the prospect of a date make me nervous. Do I like Luke? Yes! Wait, no! No way, I can't date him. I don't want something to happen to make him break his promise to Rory._

 _Is this like a date? I wish. No! There is no way she likes me like that. Plus, she has to worry about Rory._ "Uh, sure. Just to let you know, though, I am not the most experienced when it comes to movies, so you'll have to pick."

"You know, as great as a movie sounds, I was hoping we could talk about what happened back at the diner first."

 _Aw jeez, I knew that Rory referring to me as her replacement dad would freak her out._ "Uh yeah sure," Luke replied hesitantly, as he walked to the kitchen table to sit down.

"Look," Lorelai started cautiously, "I know that Rory referring to you as her replacement daddy for the day might have freaked you out, but I promise, I am not in this… um, whatever you call our relationship… to find a new dad for Rory"

"Wait, you thought I would be freaked out," he replied confused, "I thought you would be freaked out about it. To be honest, it doesn't bother me at all. I know I am not her father, nor am I looking to be, but I care a lot about Rory. If she wants to see me that way, then I have no problem with it."

Releasing a sigh of relief, Lorelai softly replied, "Luke, how are you so good with these things? Most guys would run as far away from this situation as quickly as possible."

"Lorelai," he said, looking at her lovingly, "If guys run away from something as amazing as you and Rory because of something so simple, then they are idiots,"

 _Oh gosh, I love when he looks at me like that._ Not knowing how to respond, Lorelai just stood up, slipped her arms around his neck, and whispered, "Thank you." Surprised by her gesture, Luke just held her in silence, waiting for her to make her next move.

"Okay," Lorelai said suddenly, trying not to think about how great it felt to be in Luke's arms, "Um, now that we had our serious chat, how about that movie?"

"Uh okay, sure."

* * *

As soon as Lorelai picked the movie and placed it in the VCR, they both retreated to the couch, sitting on opposite ends. Before the movie even started, Luke noticed that Lorelai began to giggle. "What? What's so funny," Luke asked confused.

Looking back at him, she laughed and began to explain, "You know Luke, I don't bite…you can scoot a little closer." _Please scoot closer._

 _I was hoping she wouldn't mind._ "Yeah. Okay," he said as he moved closer to the middle. As soon has he got resituated, Lorelai leaned against his shoulder. Unsure of whether he should or not, Luke apprehensively placed his arm around her and rested it on her side. _Oh gosh, please don't let me have screwed this up._ A small grin grew across her face, and she snuggled a little closer. Relieved, both settled down to watch the movie, but not without constantly sneaking glances at each other. Unbeknownst to either of them, they were both thinking the same thing. _I could get used to this._


	3. Chapter 3: Luke to the Rescue

**Chapter 3: Luke to the Rescue**

The following Thursday afternoon, Luke was faced with his afternoon lull, and as usual, he spent the time cleaning the counter. Suddenly, the silence of the diner was broken by the cries of a certain five-year-old girl.

"Luke, I need your help," Rory called as she ran into the diner with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh gosh Rory, are you hurt? Where's Mia? Do you need me to call her?"

"No Luke," she said while sniffling, "Mia is over at Doose's, and she knows I am here…I'm crying because of Mommy."

"Um, okay," he said confused, waiting for her to explain.

"This morning, I realized that Mommy's birthday is on Saturday, but I don't have anything for her! She's the most amazing Mommy ever, and I don't deserve her because I don't have anything to give her to thank her," she cried even louder.

 _I can't stand to see her cry. I have to do something about this._ "Oh Rory, come here," he said, bringing her into his embrace. He began stroking her hair and whispered to her softly, "Don't worry. You will get something for your mom…How about this, I'll talk Lorelai into letting me watch you tonight, instead of Mia, and we'll go out and get her something."

"Really? You'd do that for me?"

"Rory, I would do anything for you."

"Aww, you're the best Luke! Me and mommy are so lucky to have you," she said while wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.

* * *

Later that evening, Luke and Rory walked hand in hand into the mall. "Alright Rory, where do you want to start?"

"Umm, I had an idea of what to get Mommy, but she might think it's silly."

"Rory, your mom will love anything and everything you get her. So tell me, what's your idea?"

"Well, while Mommy was in the shower the other day, I found these pictures," she said as she pulled them from her pocket, "And I wanted to make Mommy an album of just me and her. I want to make it look really pretty, and then, at the end, I want to write her a note telling her how amazing of a mommy she is and how much I love her."

Unable to hide the smile on his face, Luke told her reassuringly, "You know what, I think that's a great idea."

"Really," she questioned with a bit of hesitation and Luke quickly nodded. "Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's go shopping," she said while pulling Luke towards the arts and crafts store.

* * *

Saturday quickly came, and to Lorelai's surprise, Rory was ready to celebrate the day….at 7 am.

"Happy Birthday Mommy!" Rory shouted, as she hopped on top of Lorelai on the bed.

"Oh thank you baby," she replied drowsily as she realized how early it was, "Rory, why did you wake me up so early?"

"Well, I was gonna wait until later, but I couldn't because I am so excited! I want to give you your gift!"

"Aww hon, you didn't have to get me anything. I've got you, and that's all I need."

"I know Mommy, but you are the most wonderful Mommy ever, so I wanted to get you something," she said happily while pulling the photo album from behind her back. On the front of the white album, she had written in pink glitter glue _Mommy and Me_ and surrounded it with sparkly stickers.

"Oh…" Lorelai said softly as her breath caught in her throat. As she flipped through the album, tears welled in her eyes, but those tears didn't compare to the ones she cried when she read Rory's letter.

 _Dear Mommy,_

 _You are my favorite person in the world and the best mommy a girl could ask for. I love how you always hug and kiss me when I am sad. I love how you sing lullabies to me and read books with me when I am sick. I love when you sing silly songs, paint my toe nails, and watch movies with me to make me happy. You will be my best friend forever, Mommy._

 _I love you,_

 _Rory_

"Rory," she said through her cries, "I love you so so much kid, you have no idea. You are the best thing to ever happen to me."

"I'm glad you like I Mommy," Rory replied through tears of her own, "Before I told Luke about it, I was sad and crying because I didn't have a gift for you. I thought the photo album would be silly, but he said you would love it."

"Luke helped you with this," she asked, unable to hide the astonishment in her voice _That man never ceases to amaze me_

"Yeah, that's why he asked you if he could babysit me the other day. Mommy, we are so lucky to have him."

"Oh kid, yes we are; we definitely are," she replied quietly, pulling Rory closer for a long hug.

After wiping the remaining tears from her face, Lorelai slowly pulled herself to the edge of the bed. "So hon, I have the whole day off. What did you want to do?"

"Mommy, it's your birthday! Why are you asking me? This day is all about what you want to do," she said and planted a big kiss on Lorelai's cheek, "By the way Mommy, we can do whatever you want, but Luke said that we needed to come to the diner tonight around 6. I think he has a present for you. Oh, and you need to wear something pretty!"

Noticing the mischievous grin on her daughter's face, she knew something was going on, but decided not to press her for information.

* * *

As six o clock rolled around, Lorelai and Rory strolled towards the diner. Lorelai figured Luke had something planned, but just like with Rory's surprise this morning, she had no idea of what was about to happen.

"Happy Birthday Lorelai," everyone shouted as she and Rory opened the diner door.

Astonished by the number of people in the room, she turned to Rory. "Rory, did you know that there was going to be a party for me tonight?" she asked with mock seriousness.

"Not at all, Mommy," Rory replied with a wide grin on her face, "I just happened to suggest to Luke that maybe we should invite a few people to the diner tonight. It didn't have anything to do with your birthday. Not at all."

"Oh hon," she said softly, pulling her Rory in for her hundredth hug of the day, "You really are the best kid ever."

* * *

"Alright Mommy, present time!" Rory exclaimed.

"Yes! Present time! Let's do this!" Lorelai replied with the same enthusiasm.

After getting through the gifts from Mrs. Patty, Babette, Sookie, and some of the other town folk, Lorelai grabbed a box that was carefully wrapped in plaid. "I wonder who this could be from," she stated sarcastically, shooting a flirtatious look in Luke's direction. When she opened the box, she pulled out a big, bright blue coffee mug with _Lorelai_ engraved on the handle in beautiful script. Inside the mug laid a necklace with a stone the same color blue as the mug. Her breath caught in her throat, and all she managed to get out was, "Oh, Luke…"

All eyes turned to Luke, and Miss Patty shot him a knowing look. A sheepish grin appeared across his face as he turned and walked back into the kitchen.

"Lorelai, honey, that is gorgeous! They both match your eyes," Babette exclaimed, as Miss Patty followed with, "Apparently, someone has an admirer."

"Uh, yeah," was all Lorelai managed to get out. She was still in shock over how thoughtful Luke's gift was.

* * *

As the party dwindled down and people began to leave, Lorelai decided now was the perfect time to talk to Luke.

"Hey Rory, why don't you go over there and talk to Lane? I'm gonna go see if I can talk to Luke really quick." She scanned the room and noticed Luke staring at her from back near the storage room. Once she made her way to him, she pulled him along into the room and closed the door behind them.

"Luke," she began quietly, "I planned on coming here tonight to thank you for helping Rory with her gift to me, but I guess I have a lot more to thank you for."

Blushing, Luke responded, "Lorelai, helping Rory was no big deal. She was the one that suggested the photo album. I just helped her get the supplies and put it together."

"But Luke, this is a big deal! Rory told me you helped calm her down when she was upset. Then, you went even further and helped her make the album, and, now, you've organized this amazing party for me. You have done so much more than I could ask for." Taking a breath, she continued sincerely, 'And your gift. Oh gosh, your gift. Luke, aside from Rory's album, yours was the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given to me."

"Well, I know how rough these past few months, well, who am I kidding, the past five years have been on you. I just want you to, you know, have something special... I wanted you to be happy."

Taking in his answer, hesitantly, she began to speak again, "Luke… can I ask you something?"

"Um, yeah, shoot."

"Why are you so good to me and Rory?"

"What do you mean?"

Thoroughly thinking out her response, she gently replied, "I know this isn't exactly a discussion to have on my birthday, but, I mean, why are you so set on staying around and helping me and Rory. I know we already talked about this, but guys in the past all ran screaming once they realized how crazy my life is, but for some reason, you have stayed."

"Lorelai, to be honest, I could ask you the same question. Everyone in my life is gone. My parents are gone, Liz left, and Rachel, well, you know what happened with her. For some reason, you've stuck around me too."

"Yeah, you're right… I guess we just understand each other," she said with a small grin on her face, "but really, thank you. Not just for my gift, but for helping Rory, for spending the day with us at the family picnic, for fixing Rory's shelves, for being there for me…. For everything."

For a moment, neither of them knew what to say, instead, they just stared into each other's eyes.

 _Wow, I really want to kiss him right now. But I can't. I can't ruin this friendship. Ugh… I just can't let these feelings go, though. I'll just test the waters._ Hesitantly, she leaned in slowly and kissed him on the cheek, waiting to see his reaction. Not knowing how to respond, Luke just stood silently, trying to resist the urge to grab her and kiss her back.

Thinking she overstepped her boundaries, Lorelai quickly interjected, "Well, uh, I better get Rory home. She's probably about to crash as we speak."

"Uh, yeah," he responded, trying not to sound disappointed that their moment was ending. Before she could leave, Luke interjected nervously, "Lorelai! Will I see you tomorrow,"

"You can count on it."


	4. Chapter 4: Us

**Chapter 4: Us**

 **DISCLAIMER: I realized that I haven't put a disclaimer on my chapters yet. For those who want to know, I am NOT ASP nor do I own WB, so I don't own Gilmore Girls.**

The following Wednesday, Lorelai had off of work, and Rory was off of school for parent-teacher conferences. Not having anywhere else to go, they decided to visit their favorite diner man.

"Oh Lucas! Your darling Gilmore girls have arrived," Lorelai shouted with a slight southern drawl, "We are in desperate need of coffee, and you are our only hope!"

"Don't call me that," he grumbled in response, as he prepared to take their order, "And you're insane if you think I am giving either of you any coffee. You're a junkie, and she's five."

"But Luke," she pouted, "I need multiple cups of coffee to live. It's like my life line. If you want a happy, functional Lorelai, you need gallons and gallons of coffee," she rambled.

"How many cups have you had today?"

"None…" she said, shying away from his glance.

"Plus?"

"Five… but yours is better Luke!"

"It will rot your insides!"

"Oh, but what a way to go!"

They were brought out of their playful banter by Rory loudly giggling.

"What's so funny, babe?"

"You and Luke! You guys are silly!"

"Rory, silly is the last word I'd use to describe your mom, try insane," Luke said grinning.

"Hey! Watch it Burger Boy! If you keep being mean to me, you'll lose your best customers!"

"I'll have more coffee, more food, and a quieter diner. Oh yes, I can imagine how awful it will be" he deadpanned.

"Ouch, he got you there mommy," Rory said, erupting into another fit of giggles.

"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side!"

All three of them chuckled, and despite his lecturing, Luke gave in and gave Lorelai a cup of coffee…in her special mug.

"Angel, you've got wings, baby," she responded in a flirtatious tone.

Before he could leave to tend to other tables, Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand, pulling him back.

"Lorelai, I've got other customers too. What do you need?"

"Oh calm down Señor Grouchy Pants, I just had a question for you."

"Okay, shoot."

"So, Rory and I are having a movie night tonight, and we wanted to know if you could come!"

"Yeah Luke! It's Willy Wonka night! You have to come! I won't fall asleep this time! Pleeeeeassseee," Rory pleaded, giving Luke her famous puppy dog eyes and Gilmore pout.

"I don't know. I have an early delivery in the morning, and…"

"Oh come on Luke. We just wanted to thank you for helping with Rory's gift and for throwing the party. Pleeeaassseee!"

With both of the Gilmore girls using their trademarked pout, there was no way Luke could say no. "Fine, what time do I need to be there?"

"Yes," both Lorelai and Rory exclaimed, pumping their fists in the air, and Lorelai continued, "Come on over around 7."

"I'll be there," Luke replied as a small smile appeared on his face.

* * *

"Hey Mommy," Rory called from the other room while on the phone with Lane.

"Yes, Rory?"

"I know that I was supposed to watch Willy Wonka with you and Luke tonight, but I was wondering if I could spend the night with Lane? It's not a school night, since there are conferences again tomorrow, and Mrs. Kim actually said I could come!"

 _Oh gosh, Luke is supposed to come over. Now it will be just me and him. No! Get it together Lorelai! This sleepover will make Rory happy, and you and Luke are just friends. Just remember the other night when he didn't respond to your kiss._ "Uh, sure honey, what time do I need to drop you off?"

"Mrs. Kim said in an hour would be fine!"

"Okay hon!"

Once Rory was off the phone, Lorelai picked it up and called the diner.

"Luke's"

"Hey Luke! Sorry, but there has been a slight change in plans tonight."

"Uh okay, do you not want me to come over?"

"Oh, no! That's not what I meant by change. Rory is going over to Lane's, so it looks like it will just be me and you."

"Alright... Hey, why don't you bring the movie to my place, and we can watch it here?"

"Really? You're gonna let me into your bachelor pad?

"I will if you stop calling it a bachelor pad."

"Yes sir! I'll be there around seven."

"Okay, see you then."

* * *

With Rory over at Lane's, Lorelai was left all alone while getting ready to go over to Luke's.

"UGGGHHH, why is this so hard? It's just Luke! He won't care what I am wearing! It's not like this is a date," Lorelai shouted. _Man, Luke is making me crazy. Look at me. I am shouting at no one_

After stressing over it for almost an hour, Lorelai finally got dressed and headed over to the diner. Before she knocked on his door she gave herself a pep talk. _This is not a date. It is just you and Luke hanging out. Okay, you've got this._

When he opened the door, he was dressed in a blue knit sweater and his nicest pair of jeans. _Oh my, he looks hot._ "Hey Luke!"

 _Oh gosh, she looks so beautiful, I thought trying not to kiss her the other night was hard. Ugh, get it together Danes. This is not a date_ "Hey, uh come on in. There's some ice cream and pie on the table."

"Bless you," she exclaimed while stepping into the apartment, "I knew I kept you around for a reason!"

"Glad to know my purpose in life," he replied gruffly.

"Oh, now, don't be sad. You have other purposes," she giggled while pulling him along into the living room, "You have the coffee too!"

* * *

On the couch, Luke and Lorelai resumed the position they had on their last movie night. To an outsider, they would look like the perfect couple.

"Hey Luke?"

"Shhh, you said no talking," he replied quickly.

"Yeah, well, they're my rules, so I can amend them."

"Fine," he said while pausing the movie, "What do you want?"

"Welllll," she began in her most flirtatious tone, "Do you want to be the most amazing best friend ever and get me some ice cream with whipped cream and sprinkles?"

Huffing at her laziness, he retorted, "Lorelai, the ice cream is only five feet away. You can get it yourself."

"But Lucas," she pouted, "You make it better than I do."

 _Not the pout…_ "Fine," he said slowly and pulled himself off the couch.

When he returned, he handed Lorelai the ice cream bowl, assuming that her ice cream was all they needed to resume the movie. Apparently, though, she wasn't satisfied.

"Luke? Why didn't you get any? You know eating sweets is a Gilmore move night tradition!"

"Well Lorelai, as you know, my last name is Danes, so this tradition does not apply to me."

"Well, Rory is not here, so, by default, you are an honorary Gilmore for the night. Here, have some," she said as she shoved her spoon in his direction. He tried to avoid her motion, but instead of letting him avoid her, she ended up smashing ice cream on his nose.

"Lorelai!"

"Sorry Luke," she said laughing, "If you hadn't resisted…"

Before she could finish, he took some whipped cream off of her ice cream and wiped it on her cheek.

"Hey! That was mean!"

"Yeah, well you started it!"

"And now, I am going to finish it," she said giggling while throwing ice cream on his face.

"Okay, you asked for it," he said while ducking into the kitchen. Before she knew it, he reappeared with the cool whip can and squirted it all over her.

"Luke! Stop!" she yelled happily, pulling him back onto the couch.

"Lorelai, I…" he began, before he noticed how close they were for each other. While staring into each other's eyes, Luke slowly started to lean forward, and he dropped his gaze to her lips.

 _Oh my gosh. What am I doing? I'm about to kiss Lorelai? Do I want to kiss Lorelai?_

 _Oh my gosh. What is he doing? He is about to kiss me. Do I want Luke to kiss me?_

Neither of them stopped his advance, and soon, Luke's lips brushed lightly against Lorelai's.

 _Yes, I definitely want to kiss Lorelai._

 _Yes, I definitely want to kiss Luke._

Before Luke could pull back, Lorelai placed her arms around his neck and brought him down to her. Placing his hands on her waist, he pulled her flush against him, causing her to groan softly. They kissed passionately for what seemed like hours, exploring each other carefully and only breaking apart when oxygen was needed.

"Luke." "Lorelai." They both started at the same time.

"Lorelai, you go first."

"Oh… Luke, I want this," she said, her voice filled with desire, while trying to catch her breath, "Gosh I really want this. I want you. But what about Rory?"

"What about Rory?"

"Luke, she loves you. She probably loves you more than Chris, and I… I really love the friendship that we have. What if we date, things go south, and we break up? I can't do that to Rory. I can't risk it."

"Lorelai… I want this too, so badly," Luke said, responding with the same desire Lorelai spoke with earlier, "You and Rory have made me happier these past few months than I have ever been since my parents died." He paused to lightly kiss her, then continued, "You know that promise I made to Rory before the picnic?"

She nodded while looking him straight in the eye.

"That promise involved you too. If you want there to be an us, I will do anything and everything to stay an us. But, Heaven forbid something happens, no matter what happens, I will be there as a friend to Rory… and to you."

"Luke…I want there to be an us," she said softly, bringing his lips back to hers.

"Good, me too," he mumbled, refusing to allow his lips to be without hers for even a second longer.

* * *

Around 1:30 am, Lorelai woke up to a weight across her chest. Someone had their arms around her.

 _What the hell? Oh shit, we fell asleep!_ "Luke?... Luke!"

"Urghhh, Lorelai, go back to sleep"

"Luke! Do you even hear yourself?"

"Yes Lorelai," he mumbled, "I said go to sleep." Quickly, he realized the predicament they were in and attempted to jump up. In the process, Lorelai grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him down, causing them to both land on the floor.

"Well hello, Luke. Fancy seeing you here," she said giggling and kissed him soundly.

"Lorelai, this is not funny! We fell asleep, and there's no way you can go home now, so you have to spend the night! What are people going to think?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe they'll think we are dating," she replied sarcastically.

"Lorelai, be serious about this!"

"Luke! Chill out. I am being serious! People are gonna have to know that we're dating sometime, and is it such a bad thing that they know soon?"

"I don't know… The loons we live with will act like everything we do in our relationship is their business. You know me, Lorelai. Once I've got something good, I want to keep it to myself and protect it."

"Wait… you think you've got me," she exclaimed flirtatiously, "Why, Mr. Danes, we have only shared a few measly kisses, yet you have already staked your claim. Who's to say that I won't run off with one of those Oompa Loompas? You saw them; they're pretty cute."

"Measly kisses," he questioned seductively. Taking advantage of their position, he rolled over on top of her. "Why Miss Gilmore, are you suggesting that we need more practice?"

"Lucas! Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Trying and succeeding," he whispered into her ear. Quickly, his lips found their way to the sensitive spot on her neck, and she let out a quiet moan.

"Succeeding, definitely succeeding," she replied breathlessly.

* * *

Luckily, Lorelai was able to sneak out later that morning without being seen. Remembering the events of the night, Lorelai entered work with a bright smile on her face.

"Good Morning Lorelai, how was movie night with Rory?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," she said shyly, hoping Mia wouldn't notice the blush rising in her cheeks.

"So it was just you and Rory, then?"

"Umm, well, besides Willy Wonka, yes, it was just the two of us."

"Uh huh… so since she has off from school, I was wondering if she would like to help me re-alphabetize the book shelves…"

"Oh, uh… ughhh fine. Rory spent the night over at Lane's last night, and we didn't have movie night. I went to Luke's place and watched a movie with him. Is this interrogation over?"

"Not quite," Mia replied with a small laugh, "So I am assuming that would be the reason why you have a certain mark on the side of your neck?"

 _He gave me a hickey?! Ohhh he's in for it now._ "Yes Mia," she replied a bit embarrassed, "That would be why."

"Aww, Lorelai, it's nothing your collar can't hide…Does that mean that you and Lucas are finally a couple?"

"Yes Mia," she smiled, "Luke and I finally came to our senses."

"Honey, I am so happy for the both of you. I couldn't pick a better pair if I tried. Just be good to him, though. He's been through a lot, and he's a wonderful man."

"Trust me, I know. He's definitely one of a kind," she replied grinning. _And he's finally mine_.

* * *

On her break, Lorelai decided to take a trip to visit her man.

"Oh Luke! I am here, and I am in desperate need of coffee," she exclaimed loudly while walking into the diner.

"I'll be with you in a minute. I'm going back into the kitchen."

After waiting a few minutes, Lorelai called again, "Lucas, I'm still waiting on my coffee!" She waited for a few more seconds, but didn't get a response _Fine I'll just get it myself._ Quietly, Lorelai snuck behind the counter, grabbed her special mug, and filled it with the precious brew.

Slowly, Luke emerged from the kitchen and noticed Lorelai's position. "What are you doing? I told you I'd be with you in a minute!"

"Wellllll," she started while turning to face him, "I tried calling you, but you didn't answer. Now that I am your girlfriend and all, I decided that it would be perfectly acceptable for me to go behind the counter and get my coffee myself."

Without hesitation, Luke grabbed Lorelai's arm, pulled her behind the curtain, and took her upstairs. "Lorelai, you can't say that so loud! We agreed not to tell anyone until we tell Rory!" Before he could start to fully rant, Lorelai pulled him towards her, lowered her lips to his neck and began sucking gently. "Oh Lorelai," Luke spoke hoarsely, as she moved her way to his earlobe.

"Shhhh, no talking," she whispered seductively, while pulling him closer and bringing her lips up to his. They continued this way for a few minutes, but refusing to allow it to get too far, Lorelai slowly pulled back. As soon as he could form a coherent thought, Luke finally spoke breathlessly, "You know, if that was what you wanted, you could have just said so."

"That takes away the element of surprise! Where's the fun in that," she said while giggling.

"You're insane."

"And yet, you still want to date me."

"Of course," he said while bringing her back into his embrace, "I want you more than anything."

"Awww, sappy Luke is my favorite," she said as she kissed him and snuggled close.

They stood in comfortable silence for a moment before Luke pulled back and began to speak. "By the way, speaking of telling Rory, what did you want to do to tell her about us?"

"Well, I actually wanted to talk to you about that… Do you think you could come over tonight and cook dinner after I pick Rory up from Lane's? I was hoping we could tell her together."

"I wouldn't want it any other way," he replied and kissed her softly, "Now, I've got to get back downstairs and I am pretty sure that you have to be back at the inn soon, so I'll see you around 7."

"Sounds like a plan," she said and returned his kiss, "By the way, you might want to cover that up, or else Patty will see it."

Reaching for his neck, he replied quickly, "You did not just give me a hickey… did you?"

"I did, and I consider it marking what's mine… but I was only returning the favor," she said giggling while pulling down her collar, "Next time, try to put it somewhere else, or more people than Mia might find out."

"Wait… Mia saw it? Aw jeez, I can only imagine how that conversation went."

"It was a little embarrassing, but she's happy for us," she answered, and kissed him sweetly, "Alright, now I've really got to go. Bye doll! See you at 7."

* * *

The sound of knocking filled the potting shed around 6:45.

"Hey Rory, can you get the door for me? It should be Luke! Just tell him he can put his stuff in the kitchen and I'll be in there in a minute."

Running to the door, Rory opened it excitedly, "Hi Luke… wait, Daddy? What are you doing here?"

"Hey kiddo! I'm here to visit your mom and you… who's Luke?"

Oblivious to Christopher's jealousy, Rory happily replied, "Oh, he's mine and Mommy's best friend!"

"Is your mommy dating Luke," he asked cautiously.

Before Rory could answer, Lorelai rushed to the door. "No Chris, Luke is a friend. What in the world are you doing here?"

"Do I need a reason? I'm just here to see my favorite girls! By the way, happy late birthday Lor," he said while inviting himself into the shed, "So this is where you ran away to? You know, you guys could always come and live with me to have a better house, and you wouldn't even have to work."

"Chris, we are not discussing this right now! Not in front of Rory. Now, I am about to have company, so you need to leave, but you can come back tomorrow to see Rory."

"Come on, I'm back! Now we can be a family; I am ready for it!"

Turning to Rory, Lorelai sweetly asked, "Hey hon, can you run to the kitchen and ask Sookie for some napkins? I just remembered that we don't have any."

"Uh, yeah mommy," she replied, confused by her mom's sudden change in subject, "I'll be right back."

As soon as Rory closed the closed the door, Lorelai went and sat on the couch and began to rant. "What the hell do you think you are doing here Chris? You can't just come in and talk about being a family while Rory was around! You'll get her hopes up! You know we'll never be a family because you can't keep your promises!"

Joining her on the couch, Chris moved closer and replied, "What are you talking about "not keeping promises to Rory"? I always keep my promises when they don't interfere with work!"

"Chris! You have never kept a promise to Rory! You haven't seen her since she was three! That's a problem Chris! You put work and everything else before your own kid! If you think that I'd voluntarily subject her to that, then you're insane!"

"Come one Lor, we belong together as a family," he said as he leaned forward trying to kiss her.

* * *

Walking up to the door, Luke heard Lorelai yelling, "Christopher, get off of me! I already told you no! Rory will be back soon, and I don't want her to walk in and think we're getting back together! We're not!"

"Get off" was all Luke had to hear before he threw the door open. Inside, he was met with Christopher leaning over Lorelai trying to kiss her. Clearing his throat loudly, he began to speak, clearly irritated, "I'm pretty sure she just yelled at you to back off. If I were you, I'd listen or her rejection will be the least of your problems."

"Luke," Lorelai exclaimed loudly while looking at him with fear in her eyes.

Christopher got off of the couch, and attempted to size Luke up. "So you're _the_ Luke? What do you think you're doing making moves on my girls?"

"Your girls," he scoffed, "That's funny. I don't think you can call them your girls since you haven't seen them in what, two years? And, yes, I'm Luke, but I am also about to be your worst nightmare if you don't leave her alone."

"Look man, I don't know who you think you are, but this is between me and her."

With his anger growing, Luke stepped towards Christopher and sternly retorted, "Actually _man_ , the minute I heard Lorelai yell at you to get off, it became my business. If you think I'm gonna leave and let you force yourself on her, you're kidding yourself."

Turning to Lorelai, Chris began to yell, "Are you sure you aren't dating this guy? He sure is acting like you are!"

Noticing the hurt in Luke's eyes, Lorelai quickly replied, "Chris! Who I am and am not dating is none of your damn business. I am not discussing this with you right now! You need to leave. I'll just tell Rory you had to go away for business."

"But Lor…"

"No! Leave now, and I'll get Rory to call you tomorrow."

Angrily, Chris stormed out the door. When Lorelai turned back to Luke, she could tell the wheels were turning in his head to process what just happened. Before he could get too worked up, Lorelai began quietly, "Luke, please don't read too far into what Chris said without letting me explain."

Avoiding her glance, Luke replied hesitantly, "I just have one question, are we or aren't we dating?"

Sighing deeply, Lorelai walked up to him and put her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look her straight in the eye. "Of course we are," she began sweetly, "I only told Christopher that we weren't because Rory was in the room when he asked, and I wanted her to find out from us."

"So you're not ashamed of us," he asked hopefully.

Seeing the doubt in his eyes, she laced her hands behind his neck and pulled him in for a lingering kiss. "I would never be ashamed of you. Aside from Rory, our relationship is the one thing in life that I am the proudest of."

"Good," he replied happily, returning her kiss wholeheartedly.

"Very good," sighed happily, leaning in, she kissed his cheek and spoke softly, "By the way, thanks for defending me. You have no idea how sexy you looked when you want all "macho man" on Chris."

"Hey, I was just doing my job," he replied with a cocky grin growing on his face, "I've got to protect _my_ girls."

" _Your_ girls? You know, I like the sound of that."

Just then, the door opened, and they jumped apart guiltily. Unaware of what was happening before she walked in, Rory cheerfully exclaimed, "Hi Luke, you're here" as she ran and threw herself into his arms, "I'm sorry I missed movie night last night. I hope you and Mommy had a good time without me, though."

"Actually, Rory," Lorelai quickly interceded, "Luke hanging out here was actually what we wanted to talk to you about. We were looking to make some… changes."

"Okay," she replied carefully, "Did you not have a good time?" All of a sudden, she gasped, and tears began to form. "Oh no, Luke! Are you not going to be here as much because Daddy is back? Please don't leave! If I have to choose I want you," she yelled and ran back towards the bed.

Shocked by her outburst, Luke turned to Lorelai, hoping she could explain. Seeing his confusion, she quietly spoke, "I'm sorry. This always happens when Chris is mentioned. He gets her all worked up by participating in her life for a few days, and then drops off of the face of the earth for a year. She's just afraid that you've decided to do the same."

"It's fine. That poor girl has been through a lot. Did you need to go talk to her alone? I can leave if you want," he said as he began to turn to leave.

"No." Lorelai swiftly grabbed his wrist and continued timidly, "Please don't."

"Isn't this a big "parenting moment" though? Shouldn't you deal with this?"

"Luke," she replied sternly, "You've already grown to be her father figure in these past few months, and I don't know about you, but I plan on being in this relationship for a long time. I know it's only been a day, but if we continue on this path, she'll eventually be your kid too. We can deal with this together."

Smiling at her calling Rory his kid, he pulled her close and responded, "Alright, I'm in. Let's go talk to her."

* * *

On the bed, Rory was curled up into a ball. As Luke and Lorelai approached, the sound of quiet sobs filled the air.

"Hey hon," Lorelai spoke softly as they eased onto their bed, "Is there something you want to talk about?"

Slowly, Rory looked up at Lorelai, and noticed Luke sitting beside her. Immediately, she got up and crawled into Luke's lap, and cried into his chest, "Please don't leave me like Daddy does."

"Rory," Luke whispered softly, "Rory, hon, look at me."

Gradually, Rory pulled back. Seeing the pleading look in her eyes almost brought Luke to tears. Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, he continued, "I'm not leaving. I promised you that I wouldn't, remember?"

Remaining silent, she nodded.

"I don't know about you, but I think we've got something pretty good going here. Me, you, and your mommy, we get to watch movies, play games, spend time at the diner, and do a lot of other fun stuff. Why would I leave that?"

"I don't know," she whispered quietly, "But Daddy did."

"Rory, I am a lot of things, but I am definitely not your daddy."

"No, but I wish you were."

 _Oh gosh._ Shifting his glance to Lorelai, he carefully responded, "You know Rory, I wish I was too, but I'm not. I don't want to replace your daddy either, but if you need someone to do daddy jobs for you, I will help you in any way possible."

Hearing his response, Lorelai smiled. _He handled that so well. He didn't bash Chris, even though he totally could, and he still reassured her. He'd make a great dad someday._

Seeing Lorelai smile, Luke lifted Rory off of his lap and placed her between them. Still looking at Lorelai he mouthed, "Now?" Knowing good and well what he meant, she nodded, and took the lead. "Hey hon, is it alright if we talk now?"

"Okay… Is this the conversation you wanted to have earlier, before I yelled at you guys? I'm sorry about that, by the way, I just didn't want Luke to leave."

"It's alright sweets, we understand, and yes, this is what we wanted to talk to you about earlier. Soooo, Rory…how would you feel if Luke stayed around as more than just a friend?"

"What do you mean," she questioned. Suddenly, her eyes went wide with realization, and with a big smile on her face, she exclaimed, "Wait…. Are you dating Luke?"

Grinning at her daughter's reaction, she replied gladly, "If I was, would you be okay with that?"

"Yes," she exclaimed joyfully. She turned to Luke quickly, "I'm so excited!"

Luke leaned over and kissed Lorelai happily. When he pulled back, Rory squirmed out from between them and jumped to the floor, facing them both. "Ewwww, okay, even though you guys are dating and all, we need to establish one rule. No doing that while I'm here." she said as she scrunched her face, "Kissing is just gross."

"I don't know Rory," Luke said with a grin on his face, "I think it's pretty great." He started pulling Lorelai towards him again.

"OKAY! Okay, just let me leave the room first before you get all up in each other's business."

Lorelai laughed and turned to Luke. "Oh gosh, I love her," she said and leaned for the kiss, "And I think you're pretty great too."


	5. Chapter 5:Think About the Now

**Chapter 5: Think About the Now**

It was the Saturday of the following week, and Lorelai and Luke still hadn't gone on a real first date. The whole week, the inn was insanely busy and Ceaser was sick, forcing both Luke and Lorelai to have longer shifts. By that afternoon, Ceaser was finally feeling better, and Luke had had enough.

"Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking."

"Lorelai? Why are you answering the phone?"

"Well it's nice to hear from you too Luke," she replied sarcastically

"Sorry. Let me try that again… Hey. How's your day been?"

"Aww Luke, thank you for asking. Aside from the fact that I haven't been able to see you in what seems like ten thousand years, I'd say it's been alright."

"Good. Soooo, I was wondering if you were available tonight."

"Hmmm, I don't know. I may be able to get Sookie to babysit if needed. What were you thinking?"

"Well, as you know, I have not been able to take my beautiful girlfriend on a first date yet, and I was hoping that she would be available tonight."

"I'm sure she could swing it. Did you have a specific time you wanted her to be ready? I'm sure she'll need time to prepare."

"I'm thinking around seven. Do you think that she can be ready by then?"

"For a handsome man like you, she would be ready anytime."

"Great," Luke responded gladly. "So I've got to get back to work, but please let my girlfriend know that I'll be thinking about her the whole time."

"I'll let her know, and I'm sure she'll be thinking about you the whole time as well."

"Okay, bye Lorelai."

"Bye doll."

* * *

"Rory! Sookie! I have nothing to wear! Luke is going to look amazing, and I am going to look like trash!"

The sound of Sookie and Rory's laughter filled the shed, and Rory replied from the other room, "Oh please Mommy, you could wear anything and Luke would still think you are beautiful!"

"I sure hope so Rory, but what do you think about this?" Lorelai walked into the kitchen wearing a bright blue silky tank top paired with a white sweater, dark wash blue jeans, and silver strappy sandals.

"That's perfect Mommy! Luke loves it when you wear blue!"

Both Sookie and Lorelai chuckled, "Does he? How do you know that, kid?"

"Well, I noticed that he always stares at you more when you wear blue! It's like he doesn't even notice that I am there!"

Before Lorelai could reply, the sound of knocking filled the shed. "He's here," Rory exclaimed as she ran towards the door and opened it, "Hi Luke! I can't wait for you to see my mommy! She looks sooooo pretty!"

"Hey Rory," he replied sweetly and handed her a small bouquet of flowers.

"What are these for? Aren't you supposed to give flowers to Mommy?"

"Well, I have her flowers too," he replied as he pulled a bouquet of daisies from behind his back, "But those are for you to thank you for letting me date your mommy."

"Aww, Luke," she said happily and hugged his leg, "You're such a softy."

Just then, Sookie and Lorelai made their way into the room, and as Rory said, Luke really liked the blue.

"Hey babe," she said and lightly pecked him on the lips.

"Hey… wow… you look beautiful. Oh, uh, these are for you," he stuttered while handing her the daisies.

"Thank you! Daisies are my favorite," she replied lovingly.

"See Mommy! I told you he would like what you're wearing! He hasn't stopped staring at you since you came in here!"

Luke began to blush and Lorelai laughed, "I guess you were right hon," turning to Sookie, she continued, "Okay, we'll probably be back around 11, and it's okay if she wants to stay up, since it is not a school night."

"Okay, okay, that's the 10th time you've told me that tonight," Sookie said while pushing them out the door, "Now go have fun you two!"

* * *

Luke took Lorelai's hand in his, led her to the passenger side of the truck, and opened her door.

"Why thank you sir, how very chivalrous of you!"

"My mom always told me that a true gentleman always opens the door for a lady."

"Well, your mom raised an amazing gentleman," she whispered sweetly and kissed him.

Closing her door, Luke walked around and got into the driver's seat. Before they even left the inn parking lot, Lorelai began questioning, "So, where are you planning on taking me tonight?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

"But Luke, I want to know! What if the restaurant doesn't have anything I like?"

"Oh please, do you think that I don't know you well enough to know what you like? I feed you every day!"

"True, but that's diner food! What about all the other cuisines?"

"What about all the other cuisines? I promise you that I know what you like."

"Really, prove it," she replied flirtatiously.

"Lorelai," he said seriously, "You love Chinese and Italian food. You strongly dislike French food, and as far as Mexican food goes, you have to be in the mood for it. You have a love hate relationship with seafood, and you only eat chicken if it is fried. Steak is by far your favorite meat, and as far as for sides, as long as it is not healthy, you'll eat anything. I promise you that I have taken your habits into consideration when choosing this restaurant."

After finishing his rant, he glanced over at Lorelai and noticed a pensive look on her face.

"Lorelai? Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head no, and quietly spoke as a tear ran down her cheek, "No Luke, ignore me, I am just being overly sensitive."

"I would never ignore you, especially when crying is involved."

"Why do you know all of that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, why do you know exactly what I like and what I don't like, down to the smallest detail... Not even my own parents cared enough to know that," she replied as a few more tears came.

Quickly, Luke pulled off of the road. Once in park, he unbuckled and slid across the seat to bring Lorelai into his arms. "Hey, no tears. This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Don't think about the past. Think about the now… think about us."

Taking a deep breath, she looked up and replied lovingly, "Okay… Just to let you know, baby, I am really happy about us. Happier than you could even imagine."

"Oh believe me, Lorelai, I know."

She leaned up to kiss him, and when their lips met, she put all she could into the kiss, hoping he understood just how strongly she felt about him. To no surprise, he did.

* * *

"Sniffy's? What kind of food do they serve here?"

"It depends on who cooks it," Luke replied as they walked through the door, "It's all in who you know."

Instead of stopping at the "Please Wait to Be Seated" sign, Luke led Lorelai to a reserved booth.

"Oooo, reserved! How fancy! How many mafia hits did you have to do to get this table?"

Before he could respond, a small, blonde headed older woman appeared at the table. "Lucas! It's so nice to see you," she exclaimed, turning back towards the kitchen, she called, "Buddy, get out here, Lucas is here and he actually brought a girl with him!"

Quickly, an older man with glasses appeared at the woman's side. "Hello Lucas! Why, when Maisy said you were bringing a girl with you, I didn't believe her," turning to Lorelai, he continued, "I wasn't even sure you existed."

Lorelai giggled as Luke's face reddened and he replied, "Hi Maisy. Hello Buddy. I'd like you to meet Lorelai Gilmore, my girlfriend."

"It's very nice to meet you Maisy, Buddy," Lorelai replied, extending her hand, "I love your place."

"Thank you hon, it's nice to meet you as well," Maisy replied, "And, uh, He's a special one, this guy."

"Oh believe me, I know," she said, while grabbing Luke's hand under the table.

As soon as Maisy and Buddy left the table, Lorelai scooted closer and leaned on Luke's shoulder. "So, Buddy and Maisy… they know you!"

"Yeah, they're actually like second parents. They were friends with my mom and dad. When I opened the diner, they helped me out a lot, and now, I usually come here 2 to 3 times a week."

"Oh my gosh, so Luke has a Luke's?"

"I guess you could put it that way."

Suddenly, Lorelai pulled Luke close and planted a kiss on his lips. "Luke, thank you for bringing me. I love that you are sharing this part of your life with me."

"I'm just glad we're finally here,' he responded, and kissed her on the cheek.

"Me too, babe, me too."

* * *

As dinner progressed, talk turned to the diner, the inn, the craziness of the town, and of course, Rory.

"Hey Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember the day we first met?"

"Of course," he chuckled, "I'm pretty sure that I just got rid of the bump on my head from where you scared the living hell out of me."

"Hey! I apologized for that! But, really, on that day, what made you want to fix Rory's shelves?"

"I don't really know. From the first time I met her, for some reason I liked her. Most kids are loud and sticky, and they always seem to have jam hands, but she was different…By the way, you've done a great job with her. I don't know if I have told you that, but you really have."

"Thank you. I don't know how to explain it, but she saved my life, so I do my best to do everything I can for her."

"You know, if you ever need any help with her, I'm here. I don't know much about kids, but, for her and for you, I'm willing to try."

Lorelai grew silent for a moment, taking in his offer. She smiled and whispered kindly, "Luke, you have no idea how much I love to hear you say that. Besides Mia and Sookie, I've never had anyone to help with her, so the fact that you'll try means the world to me. Thank you."

Hearing the vulnerability in her voice, Luke pulled her close and spoke sincerely, "Lorelai, I promise I am not Christopher. I'm not going to just abandon you or Rory. Now, let's get out of here and go back to the diner. I know you'd probably like some coffee."

* * *

When they reached the diner, they went upstairs. While Luke made Lorelai her coffee, she leaned against the counter and observed his movements. Quickly growing bored, Lorelai decided that it was time to play "twenty questions."

"Pleeeeaaaasssseee Luke? I know a lot about your life, and you know a lot about mine, but we don't know a lot of the basics about each other," she whined and pouted.

 _Ughh not the pout. That thing is going to be the death of me._ "Fine, but once the coffee is done, this game ends."

"Yay! Okay, so first question. Hmmmm, what is your middle name?"

"William, like my dad. You?"

"Victoria, although you can't understand just how amazing Lorelai Victoria flows until you hear my mom yell it."

Laughing, Luke responded, "I'll take your word for it. I guess it is my turn, so… what is your favorite color?"

"Well, I like pink, but I also like purple. Yellow is pretty cool too... You know what, I can't decide. You?"

"Blue," he responded bluntly without any hesitation.

Lorelai began laughing. "No way?!"

"What is so funny about my favorite color being blue," Luke asked confused.

Still laughing, Lorelai explained, "Tonight while I was getting dressed, Rory made me wear blue because she said that you like the color blue on me."

"Well, you know, she's not wrong," he said with a devilish grin, "The color blue makes you look incredible."

"Oh really? So Mr. Danes, what is your opinion of my blue outfit tonight?"

Slowly, Luke leaned in close and growled softly, "It's unbelievable. In my eyes, you look more beautiful than you could even imagine."

It took all of her strength to keep her knees from buckling. "Luke, that has to be the sexiest thing anyone has ever said to me," she replied huskily.

With one swift movement, she hopped up on the counter, wrapped her legs around his waist, and pulled him in for a kiss. Initially, her lips brushed his gently, but it wasn't enough for either of them. Lorelai teased his lips with her tongue, seeking entrance, and he happily obliged. Quickly, their kisses deepened, and Luke's hands found their way to the small of her back, where they played with the hem of her shirt. Unable to control his desire, Luke lifted the hem and started to drag his hands across her bare back. At his touch, Lorelai quickly pulled back.

"Luke," she spoke while out of breath, "We need… to talk about this… before things go too far."

"You're right," he replied while taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry. We should have talked about this first."

"Don't be sorry… I really like what we've got going here, and I really don't want to screw this up."

"I know. I don't either," he replied, pulling her off the off the counter.

She immediately took his hand and pulled him over to the couch to sit. "Luke, before you overthink this, it's not that I don't want you, because I do. I really do. Just let me get this out," she kissed him quickly and continued, "The last time I did, you know, _that_ , was the night Rory was conceived, and look how that turned out. I know I got the biggest blessing of my life in Rory, but I also have all of this baggage with Chris hanging over my head. I just want to make sure that we have more than the physical part. I want to know everything else about you… I want to fall in love with more than just your body."

Knowing Luke would need a moment to process, she sat in silence, but before she could realize what was happening, Luke pulled her into his lap and nuzzled her neck. He quietly whispered, "You are the most amazing woman I have ever met, did you know that?"

"I'm amazing because I refused to sleep with you," she questioned quietly.

Still whispering in her ear, he replied, "No, you're amazing because you're you. I've never met a woman who has truly wanted to get to know me, the real me, before she has wanted my everything else. I'm willing to wait as long as you want. You're worth it."

A small smile appeared on her face as she pulled back. "Gosh Luke, you are making me fall so hard for you."

"Well that's good," he replied kissing her softly, "Because I am falling twice as hard for you."

They just sat holding each other, taking it all in. Slowly, Lorelai pulled herself off of Luke's lap, and pulled him up with her. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she brought him close and leaned against his chest.

"You know, babe, it's only 10:00. We still have an hour until I have to relieve Sookie."

"Well, Miss Gilmore, what do you suppose we do with our time?"

She looked up with a teasing grin on her face. "Well Mr. Danes, my coffee is cold so I need a new batch. Shall we resume 20 questions?"

"Why not," he replied with a laugh, leaning in for one more kiss, "But no more color questions. Those are pretty dangerous."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it has taken me so long to update this chapter. It's finals week for me, and I have spent the last few days studying. Once I finish school, I will definitely be back to posting every day or every other day until I finish this story. Also, this is a bit of a filler chapter. I needed to get telling the town out of the way, but I still wanted to make it a little interesting.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Telling the Town**

By 10:50 Lorelai and Luke were back at the inn. Walking her to the door, they each remained in comfortable silence, deep in their own thoughts. Just before they reached their destination, Lorelai gasped and stopped their progress.

"Luke… I just realized that there was one important thing that we haven't talked about."

Caught off guard by her comment, Luke replied carefully, "Okay, and what important thing is that?"

"What and when are we going to tell the town? We agreed that we'd tell them after we told Rory, and now that Rory knows, what are we going to do?"

Not bothering to hide his eyeroll, he replied, "I'd prefer if we kept it a secret forever." He kissed her gently and mumbled against her lips, "I like having you all to myself."

"Babe, I'm flattered, I truly am, but you and I both know that keeping it a secret is not practical. Telling them up front will prevent all kinds of crazy rumors."

"Fine, but this is not going to be some extravagant announcement."

"But Luke," she pouted, "This is special! You know that everyone in town has been waiting for us to finally get together!"

"Nope. You can tell them, but no big announcements. No screaming it from the gazebo with a bull horn, and no hanging a bill board," he smirked, "You'll have to come up with something simple."

"Urgh, fine. Burger Boy, you drive a hard bargain, but I accept your terms. I'll figure something _simple_ out."

"Thank you," replied and pulled her into his embrace, "Now, as much as I enjoy being here with you, let's get you back to Rory."

Snaking her arms around his waist, she lazily drew circles on his lower back. "Thank you for tonight. This was the best date I've ever had."

"Ditto," he replied, kissing the top of her head.

"I really don't want this night to end."

"I know, but we have to finish this one before we can get to the next one."

"That's the only reason I'm willing to let you go," she laughed and smiled widely, "But really, with all that happened tonight, I can't wait to see what happens next… Okay, one more kiss, and then I've got to go in."

"Then I better make it a good one," he replied teasingly, drawing his lips to hers. Pulling back, he continued, "So I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"You're the one with the coffee!"

"Right, good night Lorelai."

"Night Luke."

* * *

Walking into the diner the next morning, after dropping Rory off at school, Lorelai noticed the gossip queens in the corner, huddled together and sneaking glances towards the kitchen.

"Morning ladies. What's the latest gossip for today?"

"Oh sugah, have you heard the news," Babette quickly replied.

"News?"

"Yes dear, the news about Luke," Miss Patty added, "Apparently, Rachel is back!"

"Rachel? Like Luke's ex Rachel," she asked, trying not to succumb to the doubt growing inside. _There's no way he'd do that. Not after last night._

"Well, Lorelai," Babette replied, "We aren't exactly sure, but he's been walking around with this big grin on his face all morning! The only time he ever does that is when Rachel comes back!"

"You know dear," Patty interrupted, "If you could use your pull with Luke to get us some insight, that would be much appreciated."

"Uh, yeah. I can do that, I guess. Be right back." Without hesitation, Lorelai walked back to the kitchen, much to the ladies' dismay. "Hey babe," she spoke quietly, "Can we talk for a sec?"

Normally, her appearance in the kitchen would anger Luke, but he immediately noticed the worried look on her face. "Yeah, um, I don't want to do upstairs with everyone here, so I guess we can talk in here. Is everything okay?"

"I don't know, actually… that's what I wanted to ask you," she replied while trying not to look into his eyes.

"Lorelai, I can tell that you're trying not to look at me, and that's kinda freaking me out here… what's up?"

Stepping closer, Lorelai wrapped her arms around his middle and spoke into his chest, "Are they right?"

"Is who right," he asked while gently running his fingers through her hair.

"Miss Patty and Babette… they said that you were smiling a lot because Rachel was back. Are they right?"

At the sound of Rachel's name, Luke realized Lorelai's insecurity. Quickly, he pulled back and lifted her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his. "No. I don't know where the hell they got that idea from, but I promise you Lorelai, Rachel is not back. Even if she was, I wouldn't even notice…The only reason I am so happy today is because I had a perfect date with my girlfriend last night."

Lorelai released the breath of relief that she didn't realize she was holding. "Good. They actually had me worried for a second. I know you said last night that I was worth it, but it's Rachel, you know?"

"Lorelai," he sighed softly, "I know. Rachel was my first, just like Christopher was yours, but that's all they are. They're firsts. All that matters to me is what I have now, and I'm lucky enough that what I have is you and your incredible daughter."

Bringing his lips down to hers, she planted a soft, yet meaningful kiss, "And I'm thankful that we are lucky enough to have you."

As she exited the kitchen with a smile on her face, Patty and Babette waved her over, hoping she could give them the inside scoop.

"Lorelai, that was a very bold move you pulled there," Babette exclaimed, "I can't believe he even let you set foot in his kitchen. Did you get any news for us?"

Suddenly, the perfect response appeared in Lorelai's head, and she responded, "You know ladies, I'd love to help you, but when it comes to Luke, I don't _kiss_ and tell."

"Aw dear, we'll just keep it between… wait," the lightbulb went off in Patty's head, "Did you just say kiss?"

"I don't know Patty, did I," she replied naughtily.

A sly grin appeared on Lorelai's face as she saw Luke approaching the table. While handing her some coffee, he noticed the mischievous look on her face, and prepared himself for the worst. "Uh, sorry ladies. Did I interrupt something?"

Instead of responding as they normally would, Patty and Babette shifted their glances to Lorelai, waiting for her to respond.

"Actually, Luke, I think that coming back here to talk to these wonderful ladies interrupted something I wanted to do with you."

Standing up, she grabbed Luke by the waist and pulled him to her.

"Lorelai," he warned, as his face turned 12 different shades of red, "Don't even think about it."

"Why Luke, did you not want to continue where we left off in the kitchen," she asked flirtatiously as she brought her lips up to his, "Because, I don't know about you," she said as she pulled away, "But I think this is pretty fun."

"Oh Lorelai! This is so exciting," Babette exclaimed.

"So I'm assuming _you're_ responsible for that grin Luke's been wearing today," Patty interrupted while raising her eyebrows.

"Patty, It's none of your business," Luke responded and turned to Lorelai, "See! This is why I didn't want to tell anyone. Those insinuations are annoying, and I know that as soon as the whole town knows, which won't be long because of these two, they're gonna start giving me weird looks and asking too many questions."

Knowing he was aggravated, Lorelai looked to end this conversation quickly. Thinking on her feet, Lorelai pulled him close and spoke to him like he was the only one in the room. "Babe, calm down and go back to the kitchen. You can send Ceaser out to take orders. I've got to get back to the inn, but Rory and I will be by for dinner, and I will happily answer peoples' questions then."

"Fine," Luke answered gruffly, "I'll see you later." He kissed her cheek swiftly, aware of his audience, and hurried back to the kitchen.

As soon as Luke left, Lorelai warned the ladies, "Now Patty, Babette, be nice to him. I don't want to have to deal with a grumpy diner man when I come back tonight, I want sweet Luke."

"I bet you do," Patty replied suggestively.

"Patty," she warned, "I've really got to go, but I mean it, play nice."


	6. Chapter 6: His Princess

**Chapter 6: His Princess**

The beginning of May flew by, and finally, the school year was coming to a close. The whole year, Rory was able to avoid getting sick, that was, until the last week.

"Luke's"

"Hey Luke, it's Lorelai. I didn't want to have to take you up on your offer so soon, but please tell me the diner isn't busy right now!"

"Uh, well, it's not empty, but I could get away. What do you need?"

"The nurse at Rory's school just called me, and apparently, she has the chicken pox."

"Aw jeez, that's awful. Did you need me to go pick her up?"

"Could you? One of the other maids called out, so I have to take her rooms, and I can't get away."

"It's no problem. I'll head down there as soon as I can."

"Thanks, you're amazing. I'll call the school and let them know you're coming."

* * *

"Hi, I'm Luke Danes. I'm here to pick up Rory Gilmore."

"Oh yes, Mr. Danes, Miss Gilmore called ahead and let us know you were coming. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to Rory."

Walking into the nurse's station, his fatherly instincts immediately kicked in after seeing Rory curled up on the small cot. Sitting down on the floor, he immediately kissed Rory's forehead and began stroking her hair. "Hey Rory. How're you feeling?"

"Luke," she mumbled, "I'm all itchy, and I'm cold… Where's Mommy?"

"She's stuck at work, so I'm here to get you. Come on, let's get you home to your own bed," he said while picking her up.

Immediately, her arms wrapped around him and nestled her head into the crook of his neck. "Thanks Luke," she replied half asleep, "You're the best."

* * *

"Where's my baby," Lorelai asked frantically, running into the potting shed. Not receiving an answer, she grew silent, and from the bedroom, she heard soft snoring. Upon entering, she saw Luke, laying on his back, with Rory halfway draped across his chest, and his arm around her. _Just when I thought he couldn't get any better…Ooo I've got to get a picture of this and show Sookie_. Quietly, she rustled through the top drawer of her dresser, and pulled out a camera. As soon as the picture developed, she snuck out and ran back to the inn.

"Sookie, Sookie, Sookie! I need to talk to you now," Lorelai exclaimed and pulled her into the pantry.

"I thought you left already because Rory has the chicken pox! What's up?"

Grinning widely, Lorelai began to explain, "Well Luke picked Rory up from school, and I just assumed that he'd stay there with her and watch tv or something. You have to keep this a secret, but look at what I walked in on when I got home!"

"Oh Lorelai! That has to be the cutest thing I have ever seen! I never thought I would see the day where Luke Danes took care of a sick kid!"

"I know! Rory has him wrapped so tightly around her finger! You should see him, Sook, he is soooooo good with her!"

"Awww, Lorelai, I'm so happy for you and Rory."

"Oh Sookie, you have no idea how happy he makes me. I know he is gruff and grumpy around everyone else, but gosh Sook, he is the most amazing man I have ever met!"

* * *

After chatting with Sookie for a few minutes longer, Lorelai headed back to the shed. When she walked in, she was greeted with the smell of Luke's cooking. Strolling into the kitchen, she snuck softly and snaked her arms around Luke's waist while planting a kiss at the base of his neck. "Hey babe, thanks for picking Rory up. Whatcha cooking?"

"It was no problem." Turning around he planted a warm kiss on her lips. "Rory wanted mashed potatoes, so I thought I'd make her some."

"Well it smells amazing…so I'm assuming you enjoyed your nap."

"Uh yeah," Luke replied hesitantly, "How did you know I napped?"

"Wellll," she began while handing Luke the picture.

"Aw jeez. Did you really have to take a picture?"

"Of course I did! It was the cutest thing I've ever seen."

"Lorelai, please tell me you aren't gonna show this to people…"

"Sorry, but I already showed it to Sookie, and I was going to show it to Mia... I'm not going to show it to anybody else though. Big, sexy teddy bear Luke is my little secret," she replied as she placed a kiss on his chest and pulled him a little closer.

"Mommy? Are you home," Rory called quietly from the other room.

"Well, that's my cue. I'll be back in a minute."

Walking towards the bed, Lorelai immediately noticed the large red spots covering Rory's body.

"Aww my baby, I'm sorry you're sick."

"Mommy," Rory whined, "I'm itchy again."

"Okay baby," she leaned over and felt Rory's forehead, "Oh sweets, you're warm. I'll get you some medicine, and let me see if I can get Luke to run out and get some oatmeal. When he gets back, we'll get you in the bath to make you feel better… Hey Luke?"

He came into the room quickly, "Yeah, Lorelai? Is everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah it is, but can you do me a favor? Can you run to Doose's and get me some oatmeal so when can put her in an oatmeal bath?"

"Actually, I've already got some in the kitchen. I grabbed that and some calamine lotion before I picked her up from school."

Smiling at this thoughtfulness, she replied lovingly, "Luke, you really are amazing."

* * *

Later that night, Rory was asleep while Luke and Lorelai watched tv and talked movies.

"Are you serious Luke? You are honestly telling me that you have _never_ seen Casablanca?"

"If it doesn't come on ESPN, then no, I haven't seen it."

"Ugh, Luke, you are so movie deprived! You know what that means, don't you?"

"It means that you'll leave me alone about movies and let me watch tv in peace?"

"Nope," she replied, "It means that we need to spend more time together."

"Now that I can live with," he replied and kissed her soundly. When Luke tried to back away, Lorelai placed one hand on his cheek and the other on the back of his neck, urging him closer and deepening the kiss. Skillfully, Luke parted her lips with his tongue, but just as things grew passionate, they were interrupted.

"Daddy?" The sound of Rory's cries rang throughout the shed. "Daddy, I need you."

Lorelai, wide eyed, pulled away and said frantically, "Luke! She's never asked for Chris before! What am I supposed to do?"

"Lorelai, calm down. She probably has a fever, so she may not be thinking clearly. Let's just go check and see what she needs." Quickly, Luke pulled Lorelai off of the couch and into the bedroom.

"Rory, hon, Daddy's not here," Luke whispered softly, "It's just me and Mommy. Do you need something?"

"Daddy, I don't feel good," she cried louder, reaching for Luke.

"Rory, Daddy isn't…" Luke began before Lorelai cut him off.

"Luke, I think she's talking about you," she said hesitantly.

"Lorelai… I… Are you okay with that," he asked seriously, searching her eyes for an answer.

"Luke, right now, what she wants is her daddy, and you are the closest thing to that. I'm fine with it if you are."

Making his decision quickly, Luke leaned over and pulled Rory into his lap, leaning her against his chest. "I'm here Rory."

"Daddy," she whispered, going back to sleep, "I love you."

"I love you too princess," he replied and kissed her hair.

Looking over at Lorelai, he noticed her eyes glistening with tears. "Lorelai, are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Luke, yes… Thank you," she replied softly through her tears, "Please tell me you're staying the night."

"I wouldn't dare do anything else." He leaned over and kissed her, and all three of them snuggled close on the tiny full sized bed.

* * *

Around 4:45 am, Luke woke up by habit. Noticing Rory had retreated to Lorelai's embrace during the night, he removed himself from the bed and decided to go to the diner to get some food for breakfast. After fixing some more mashed potatoes for Rory and some oatmeal for himself, he decided to head to the couch, knowing it would be a while before the girls woke up.

About 8, he heard some stirring. Deciding it wouldn't be long until Lorelai appeared, he made a batch of coffee and poured her a mug. He brought it with him into the living room, waiting for her to come through. Soon after he got resituated on the couch, Lorelai entered yawning.

"Morning sleepy head," Luke remarked playfully, holding the mug out to her.

Jumping, she put her hand over her heart and replied, "Oh my gosh Luke, you scared the hell out of me! I forgot you were here." Taking the coffee out of his hand, she joined him on the couch and continued, "Wait… why are you still here? Don't you have to be at the diner?"

"I took the day off. Ceaser and his cousin are running it today."

"Luke, you didn't have to take the day off. I already did so I could take care of Rory,"

"Well then I'll stay here and help you."

"Luke, really, you don't have to do this. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of Rory myself," she answered, taking a big gulp of her coffee and sitting it on the side table.

While pulling her into his lap, he replied, "Lorelai, I am well aware that you _can_ do it, but I don't want you to have to."

"But Luke, if you came every time I needed help with Rory, you would never be able to leave. I'm fine taking care of her all by myself, I've been doing it for years. You have a business to run."

"Well, the diner is covered, and I am not leaving. It's up to you whether I help or not."

"I'm not going to win this argument, am I," she replied softly.

"Probably not," he smirked, "So how's the little one doing?"

"Well, she woke up a little while ago complaining about being itchy, so I put another layer of lotion on her, and she went back to sleep… Thanks for the lotion, by the way."

"No problem," he replied while wrapping his arms around her middle, "So, we know how Rory is doing, but how is her Mommy?"

"Meh, I'm alright…I do have one problem though."

"And what is that?"

"Well, I have been sitting in my boyfriend's lap for over a minute now, and he has yet to kiss me."

"That's a shame," he simpered, "How do you suppose you'll fix that problem?"

"I guess I won't," she replied playfully, trying to pry herself from his arms, "I'll just go find my other boyfriend instead."

"You can't have another boyfriend. There's no way there are two people on this planet willing to date someone as crazy as you." He began holding her tighter so she couldn't squirm away.

"Oh really," she replied, bringing her forehead to his, "If I'm so crazy, then what does that make you?"

"It makes me crazy too…crazy about you," he remarked, quickly capturing her lips with his.

"Oooo, very smooth Mr. Danes," she mumbled against his lips, pulling back for a moment, she continued, "And very sappy." Turning to straddle his lap, she looked into his eyes and spoke sincerely, "It's so nice to hear it, though."

"And I'll always do my best to tell you. I'm not so good with words, but I'll try for you."

"Ditto, babe," she replied smiling, bringing her forehead back to his, "Now, where were we before I decided to comment on your sappiness?"

"Mommy? Luke?"

Luke began to chuckle as Lorelai sighed, sliding herself off of his lap, and spoke softly, "So close."


	7. Chapter 7: Family Vacation

**Chapter 7: "Family" Vacation**

For the next five days, Lorelai and Luke worked together to take care of Rory. When Lorelai was able, she stayed with Rory, but when she was called into work, Luke took over. By Friday, Rory was finally better.

"Lucas, guess who is officially cleared of the pox," Lorelai exclaimed proudly as Luke entered the shed, "That's right, Rory Gilmore is free of the chicken pox, and is as beautiful as ever!"

"That's awesome Rory," Luke replied, bringing her in for a hug, "I'm glad you're feeling better." While hugging Rory, Luke looked up at Lorelai and mouthed to her, "I need to talk to you."

Nodding in understanding, Lorelai quickly came up with an excuse. "Hey Rory, can you do me a favor? Run to the kitchen and ask Sookie for some of those muffins she made this morning. She told me about them, but I forgot to go and get them."

"Sure Mommy, I'll be right back."

As Rory scurried out, Lorelai walked over to Luke and pulled him over to the couch.

"Hi," she quickly pecked his lips, and continued, "I'd say we've got about 5 minutes til she gets back, so what's up?"

"Okay, um, I don't really know how to explain this, but I'm going out of town for the weekend."

"Out of town? You're Luke Danes… you never go out of town."

"I know."

"Okaaayyy, you're being a little secretive about this, and that worries me. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, uh, everything's fine," he stated hesitantly, "It's just…"

"Luke. Talk to me. You know you can. You listen to me all the time, and I can do the same thing."

"I know… Uh, so today is, well was, my mom's birthday," after taking a deep breath, he continued slowly, "Every year, I go up to our family cabin for a few days, just to get away from everything."

"Babe," Lorelai began softly, "You don't have to hide these things from me. I know how close you were to your parents, and I know that it probably helps you to deal with things to go away for a little while." She gradually reached over for his hand, and stroked tiny circles on his palm. "Hear me out on this before you answer, but, um, did you need company? I know that you probably want to be alone and all, but Luke, I can't imagine staying here, knowing that you are off all by yourself hurting, when I could be there to help."

A small smile appeared on Luke's face, and he brought his lips to hers in a lingering kiss. "Thanks for the offer, but I couldn't ask you to do that. You've missed a lot of work this week, and, also, you have Rory. I doubt you'd want to bring her to the cabin. Aside from fishing or watching TV, there's not much else to do.

"I could easily ask Mia for the rest of the weekend off; she'd understand. As far as Rory goes, she's probably ready to get out of the house after being sick all week. As long as she has a few books with her, she is satisfied going anywhere."

"Lorelai, you really don't…"

"Luke. It's a simple yes-or-no question. Do you want company?"

"I would love some," he replied and kissed her sweetly.

"Well it's settled then," she answered, "And I better start packing."

* * *

"No way! This is so cool," Rory shouted as she hopped out of the truck, "Luke, this cabin is yours?"

"Yep. Do you like it?"

"Of course! It's just how I imagined the cabin in my book would look," turning in and taking in the view, she noticed the lake, "Oh Luke! You told me your daddy brought you here fishing sometimes! Will you go fishing with me?"

Both Luke and Lorelai turned to Rory with a confused look on their faces. Neither of them knew how to respond, but Lorelai took the lead.

"Umm, hon, _you_ want to go fishing? You know that requires you to be outside, right?"

"Yep! I know I don't normally like outside, but if Luke did it with his daddy, then I want to do it with him."

Wide grins spanned across both Luke's and Lorelai's faces, and Luke replied, "Well okay then. Let's go get settled in, and after, we'll go fishing."

"Yes," Rory exclaimed, pumping her fist, "Mommy, are you going to go fish with me and Luke?"

"I don't know Rory, I don't really think fishing is for me."

"But Mommy, this is supposed to be a family weekend! We're supposed to do things together. Pleeeaaasssseeee," she asked, poking out her bottom lip.

Laughing at Rory's use of the pout, Luke added on, "Yeah Lorelai, pleeeaaassseeee." He too poked out his bottom lip.

"Fine, but you're putting the worm on my hook! That's just gross!"

* * *

After a few hours fishing, Luke carried Rory while Lorelai took the poles and they headed back to the cabin.

"Luke, thank you for taking me fishing," Rory spoke as she kissed Luke on the cheek, "I had a lot of fun, even though the fish were kind of gross."

"You're welcome Rory. I had a lot of fun too."

"Can I ask you a question about your mom, or is that off limits?"

He felt Lorelai squeeze his arm. Looking over at her, she mouthed, "You can say no."

Shaking his head, he answered hesitantly, "Um, sure… You can ask me anything Rory. What do you want to know?"

"Do you think she would have liked me?"

Luke and Lorelai smiled at each other as he replied, "You know Rory, I think she would have loved you."

"Really," she asked excitedly.

"Yep. She loved to read books, she was super smart, and was happy all the time, just like you."

"Wow, I wish I could have met her."

"I do too, hon," he replied kissing her forehead, "I do too."

After making it inside, Luke fixed dinner, and Rory turned in early, worn out from the day's activities. With Rory in bed, Luke and Lorelai drifted over to the master bedroom.

"You know, Lorelai, if you're not comfortable with this, you can always go sleep with Rory."

"Babe, just because we're sharing a bed doesn't mean that anything has to happen."

"I know, but I just want to make sure that you are comfortable."

"Believe me, Luke, sharing a bed with you is very appealing… You make a pretty good pillow on the couch, and I imagine it is even better in bed," she smirked.

"You're crazy," he replied and swatted her playfully on the bottom, "Now get in there before I change my mind."

* * *

Eventually, they settled down. Luke laid on his back, and Lorelai draped herself halfway over him, resting her head on his chest. For a while, they laid in silence, Lorelai drawing circles on Luke's stomach and Luke running his fingers slowly through her hair. Suddenly, Luke broke the silence.

"So, today was nice."

Grinning at the sincerity she heard in his voice, Lorelai responded, "Yeah, it was… So you come up her every year?"

"The years I can. I only started coming back about 5 years ago. I was tired of seeing the pitiful looks everyone gave me on this day, so I just decided to get away from it all. We used to come for mom's birthday every year, though…but after she died, we didn't come as often."

Feeling him tense at the mention of his mother, she realized that he probably hadn't had anyone to talk to about her in a long time. Pulling herself up to him, she kissed his temple and whispered softly, "Tell me about her. I know you talked a little bit about her to Rory, but tell me about you and her, together."

"Lorelai, I…"

"Luke," she continued in the same soft tone, "I told you, I want to love you for you. This is part of you… who she was is part of you. I know it hurts, and I know you probably haven't talked to many people about her because of how much it does, but please… Tell me about her. I'm here."

Taking a deep breath, he pulled her a little closer and started slowly, "Baby, she would have love you. You and Rory both. She was so kind, and had such a bright outlook on life. She could find the good in anything." He started to laugh quietly, "I remember this one time, we came up here, and I was so excited because Dad was finally going to let me bait my own hook. As soon as we got here, a storm came in, and it stormed the _whole_ weekend."

"How old were you?"

"I think I was seven."

"Oh gosh," she began to giggle, "I can imagine a little Luke throwing a temper tantrum."

"You have no idea," he spoke as he chuckled, "I was so pissed… Anyway, she decided that since we couldn't have fun outside, we would have fun inside. So, she stripped this bed, took the chairs from the table, and made us a fort right in front of the tv. We played board games, watched tv, and she even let Liz and me sleep in it the whole time we were here… That was one of my favorite weekends of my life."

Luke stopped stroking her hair for a moment, so curiously, she looked up and noticed him with his eyes closed, trying to keep tears from escaping.

"Luke…" she pled quietly, as she leaned up to kiss him and wipe away the tears that escaped, "Look at me."

When he finally did, she whispered, "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me."

"No," he replied hoarsely, "Thank you…For making me talk, for helping me remember, and for coming up here this weekend. You have no idea how much better today was because of you and Rory."

* * *

Lorelai woke up around 8 to the smell of coffee and an empty bed. After getting dressed, she walked into Rory's room and noticed she was gone as well. Knowing that Luke probably took her down to the lake, she walked outside on the porch. Looking across at the dock, she saw Rory and Luke, hand in hand, sitting at the edge with their feet dangling above the water. Not wanted to interrupt their moment, Lorelai went back inside to get some coffee and waited for them to come back in.

"Hey Luke? Did you and your mommy or daddy ever come out here and sit like we are?"

"We did sometimes. My mom and I would usually wake up before Liz and my dad would, so sometimes she would come out her with me, put me in her lap, and we'd just talk. Why?"

"Can we do that? I mean, if it doesn't make you sad…"

"It definitely doesn't make me sad, Rory. We can if you want to."

"I do," she said quietly, while crawling into his lap, "This has been really fun. Thanks for letting me and Mommy come with you."

"I'm glad both of you came, Rory."

"So, you came here when you were five too," she questioned.

"Yep. I came here for most of my childhood until I was 13."

"Wow... What were you like as a kid? Were you like me? Did you like to read?"

Laughing, Luke responded, "You know, I wish I had liked to read. I would have done a lot better in school if I did. I was more into fishing and sports."

"I'm not very good at fishing." Picking up Luke's hand, Rory rubbed his bandaged finger. "Sorry for getting you with my hook yesterday, by the way. Mommy warned you that it would probably happen though," she giggled.

"That she did, kid, but it's okay. I did it to my dad once, too."

"You did,' she exclaimed, "So I'm not terrible then?"

"No, Rory. You're just learning," he said, while running his hand through her hair, "Once we do it some more, then you'll get better."

"You want to go fishing with me again?"

"Of course," Luke replied kindly.

"Thanks, Luke! You're awesome," she replied happily, turning to hug him, "So, what else did you and your parents do here?"

Noticing most of her questions revolved around his parents, Luke replied, "We did a lot, but Rory, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she replied, content with the situation she found herself in.

"If you don't want to answer, you don't have to, but why do you want to do what I did with my mom and dad?"

"That's an easy question," she smiled and turned to look at Luke, "I thought it was going to be harder than that."

"Okay," he laughed, "So what is your answer?"

"Oh yeah... well I thought that if I did stuff with you that your parents used to do, then maybe it would make you happy! Plus, don't tell Mommy, it might make her sad, but I like when I get to do things with you that my daddy won't do with me…We both get to have fun."  
Touched by her response, he hugged her close. "You know Rory, you're a great kid. And, just to let you know, if you ever want to do something with me, as long as it is okay with your mom, I am happy to do anything with you."

"Thanks Luke…Do you think we should go see if Mommy is awake yet? I don't want her to miss anything."

"You know, I think that is a great idea."

* * *

"Luke! I am freezing now! I can't believe you did that," Lorelai exclaimed playfully while squeezing water out of her hair.

"Well you were complaining that you were hot, so I thought it might be fun if we took a swim in the lake," he replied smirking.

"Yeah! He was just thinking about what you wanted," Rory added in, giggling at the interaction between the couple.

"Hey! I'm your mommy! You're supposed to defend me…"

"I should, but it was funny, Mommy! You should have seen your face when he did it!"

"Well, if it's so funny, why don't we take a swim together then. I'm sure you'll love the cold water," Lorelai replied playfully, chasing Rory around the yard.

"Help me Luke! Mommy's gonna get me wet!"

"What do you want me to do? I'm soaked too!"

"Yeah, but you're not chasing me!" She ran straight at Luke and jumped into his arms.

"Silly Rory, that makes it easier for me to get you," Lorelai said as she ran and wrapped her arms around them both.

"Argh, you guys are squeezing me to death! Let me go!"

"Only when you'll say that you'll take my side for everything forever and ever!"

"Fine! I'll do it! I'll take your side!"

Immediately, Lorelai released them, and Luke put Rory down.

"That was mean," Rory claimed, glaring at Lorelai.

"Mean? Maybe. Hilarious? Definitely," Lorelai replied, taking Rory in her arms and kissing her on the cheek, "I love you kid."

"I love you too Mommy," she said and hugged her back. As soon as Lorelai placed her back on the ground, she ran over to Luke, wanting him to pick her back up. When he finally did, she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I love you too, Daddy Luke."

Surprised by her statement, he just replied the only way he knew how. "I love you, Rory."

He set her back down, and she took off into the cabin. Luke hung back, waiting for Lorelai to catch up. When she finally approached, he laced his hand through hers. "So, that's quite the kid you've got there."

"Apparently, that's quite the kid _you've_ got there too."

"Yeah… so, how do you feel about that?"

"You know, I thought that I'd be more hesitant about the whole name situation, but you've done more with her in the past few months than Chris has in her lifetime. So, if the name fits, which it _definitely_ does, then I say it's fine," she replied smiling and kissed him.

"I know, you said that the last time she called me daddy, but at that point she was sick. Now, we can't use the fever as an excuse."

"Luke, there doesn't have to be an excuse. If that's what Rory wants to call you, then that's what she's gonna call you."

"Will Chris be okay with that, though?"

"Babe, stop worrying… It's fine," she replied, giving him a reassuring smile, "At this point, Chris is not here. He could be, but he's not, so I don't really give a damn about what he thinks."

"Okay then," he smiled widely and kissed her sweetly, "I guess I'm Daddy Luke then… I think I like it."

* * *

Luke and his girls arrived back in Stars Hollow on Sunday afternoon after a wonderful weekend away.

"Hey Daddy Luke," Rory began while climbing out of the truck and running around to the driver's side.

"Yes, Rory?"

"I know I already told you, but thanks for letting us come this weekend! I had a lot of fun!"

"You're welcome," he replied, lifting her into a hug, "It was a really nice weekend."

As they approached the door to the shed, Rory loudly exclaimed, "Mommy, look! There's a pretty envelope on the door." Wriggling out of Luke's arms, she ran ahead and brought the envelope back to Lorelai.

"Shit," she mumbled under her breath. Plastering on a fake smile, she continued, "Okay, hon, I'll look and see what it is for when we get inside."

"Alright, I'm gonna go in and put my books up. Can you believe it!? I didn't read one book this weekend," she said, hurrying off to reorganize her shelf.

After Rory entered the shed, Luke cleared his throat and spoke. "You know, she may not have heard it, but I know what you said… What's in that envelope that is so bad?"

As she turned to face him, he noticed a miserable look on her face. "My dad's 50th birthday is on Friday, and I bet this is an invitation from my mother. I would recognize this stupid, curly calligraphy anywhere."

"Okayyy, I know you don't have the best relationship with them, but what's so bad about an invite? You should go. At least they're reaching out."

"See, that's what a non-Gilmore would think, but I know they didn't send this to reach out."

"I'm having trouble following…"

"Luke," she said exaggerating his name, "To a normal person, this would look like an innocent invitation, but the only reason my parents sent this is because they don't want to look bad. My mom is worried about what her friends will think if I, their only heathen daughter, don't attend my holy father's birthday party."

"Well, I still think you should go, no matter what the motive is."

Confused by his insistence, she asked curiously, "And you think this because?"

Kissing her lightly on the forehead, the brought her close and spoke over her head, "Babe, do you know what I would give to do to one of my parents' birthday parties? I know attending this party is the last thing you want to do, and I also understand why you don't want to. From what you've told me, there was a lot of crap that they did to you that wasn't right, but no matter what, they are still your parents."

"Ughh, I know." She leaned into his chest and continued, "After this weekend and what we talked about, I admit, I probably should go, at least this once. I'm not sure, though, if I'm ready to subject myself to the scrutiny of that world again. I know that the whole night will be filled with knowing stares from my parents' acquaintances and passive aggressive insults from my mom, and I am not sure if I want to expose myself to it, or Rory for that matter."

"You know, if you're that afraid, I could always come with you."

"No," she answered sternly, and a little too quickly for Luke's liking.

Pulling back, he questioned, slightly offended, "Why not? I know I'm not from the Hartford scene, but I can make myself appear decent enough so I don't embarrass you and Rory."

Hearing the agitation in his voice, she calmly replied, "Luke, I promise, I am _not_ afraid you'll embarrass me. If anyone is going to embarrass me, it is going to be me. I just know that if I bring you, my mother will try to stick her nose in our relationship and break us up. She will think that since you're not Christopher, you're not good enough. I don't want her trying to tear you down just to make her reputation better."

Sighing, he put his face in his hand. When pulling back, he finally replied, "Okay, I'm sorry for implying that, but you're going to have to tell them about me eventually. You can't hide me forever."

"Wellll, I could. It's not like I see them often anyway."

"Lorelai," he warned.

"Ugh, okay. I will tell them eventually. Let's just get past this party to see how it goes, and then we'll decide how to move forward from there."

"Just think about it, that's all I'm asking."

"Fine, but since you're the one that is so set on me going, you are going to have to come with me and Rory to the mall to buy new dresses for the party."

"No. I hate malls."

"Luuuukkkeeee," she pouted, "You're the one that is so adamant about me going. If you're making me go, then I need your help to prepare. Plus, you do go to malls! I know those art supplies Rory used to make my gift didn't just appear out of nowhere."

Rolling his eyes, he responded, "You're seriously pulling the Rory card?"

"If it gets you to do what I want, then yes!"

"Okay, fine. We should do this today, though, because I have to be back at the diner tomorrow, and you have to be at the inn."

"Thanks, Babe," she replied and kissed him sweetly, "You're the best boyfriend I could ask for."

"Yeah, yeah," he spoke while grinning, "You already got what you wanted. You don't have to butter me up for anything else."

"What if I just like to kiss you," she asked, capturing his hips and pulling him against her.

"Well in that case," he replied, and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply.

Suddenly, their moment was broken by the shrill sound of Rory's voice, "Hey! When you guys are done making out, I need help in here! I can't reach the books on the top shelf!"

Immediately Luke jumped back, trying to hide his embarrassment, and Lorelai began to giggle. "We'll be there in a sec, hon. Just let us get the stuff out of the truck," turning back to Luke, she jokingly spoke, "You know, that girl has impeccable timing."

* * *

After unloading their stuff in the shed, Luke, Lorelai, and Rory headed to the mall to find their party dresses.

"Oooo, mommy! What do you think about this one," Rory yelled happily, running out of the dressing room wearing a deep purple dress with a satin top, flower waistband, and fluffy tulle bottom.

"I think you look _very_ pretty Rory. What do you think, Luke?"

"Yeah, what do you think? Do you think I look pretty?"

Squatting down to her level, he lifted one of her arms above her head as she twirled, "I think you look beautiful."

"Aww thanks," Rory replied sweetly and wrapped her arms around him. "Alright Mommy, it's your turn," she said as she went back to change in the dressing room.

As Rory closed the door, Lorelai walked behind Luke and snuck her arms around his middle. As she applied a gentle kiss to the nape of his neck, she whispered, "You're so good with her, and I love that."

"Love," he replied softly, small smile forming across his face.

Squeezing him gently, she pulled him closer and replied, "Yep, love… and just to let you know, I'll probably be able to say that in other ways soon."

"Good to know," he replied contentedly, taking her hands from around his waist and lacing them with his, "That's very good to know."

* * *

As they perused the women's department, they decided to divide and conquer. Luke and Rory took one side, while Lorelai took the other.

"Lorelai?"

 _Nononono! Please tell me I'm just hearing things._

"Lorelai, is that you?"

Turning around, Lorelai was face to face with the last person she wanted to see, Emily Gilmore.

"Hi mom. What brings you here?" _At the same damn time that I'm here with Luke and Rory…_

"Hello Lorelai. I'm here to look for your father a tie. As you should know, his birthday is this Friday and I wanted to find him something nice."

"Yes mother, I am aware that his birthday is coming up. In fact, I got the invitation already. I was going to call you an RSVP for Rory and myself tomorrow."

Despite her best attempt to hide it, a look of surprise appeared on Emily's face. "So I can add you to the list, then?"

"Yes you ca…"

"Hey Lorelai, what do you think about these," Luke asked as he approached, carrying Rory in his arms while she held the dresses out. _Shit! They couldn't just wait a few more minutes?_

Turning to Luke, she glanced quickly at the dresses and replied, "Oh, uh, those look fine. I'll try them on in just a minute."

"Lorelai, who is this," Emily asked, pursing her lips.

"Well, _mom…_ " As soon as those words left her mouth, Luke immediately tensed and watched with wide eyes, knowing this was the last conversation Lorelai would want to have with her mother. "This is Rory. You know, the little girl I had about 5 years ago that you haven't seen since her birth."

"Lorelai, you know good and well that I know who Rory is. That was not what I meant."

"Okay, then this," she said gesturing to Luke hesitantly, "Is my boyfriend, Luke."

"Boyfriend? What about…"

"Mom," Lorelai exclaimed quickly, "Don't even thing about finishing that sentence."

"Fine, but we _will_ discuss this at a later time. Now that I know that you have a… partner… I expect him to attend the party with you. I will see you on Friday," Emily remarked antagonistically, while walking away, not giving Lorelai time to respond.

"Babe, I am so sorry," Luke spoke, breaking the awkward silence, "If I had known who she was, I wouldn't have walked up."

"It's fine Luke, you had no way of knowing," she replied quietly but kindly, "Let's just find my dress, and _now_ your suit, and get out of here before anyone else from my past decides to show up."


	8. Chapter 8: From Sexy to Startling

**Chapter 8: From Sexy to Startling**

Despite Lorelai trying her best to wish the day away, Friday quickly arrived. Luke arrived at the shed at 6 pm sharp, though he didn't expect Lorelai to be ready until 6:15. To his surprise, she was the one who answered the door.

"Hey, I… Wow." He stopped mid-sentence, taking in her appearance. Lorelai was wearing a knee-length, off the shoulder, emerald green dress. It was covered in lace and had a sweet heart neckline.

"I thought it was your dad's birthday, not mine," he growled into her ear. Looking over her shoulder for Rory, and not seeing her, Luke pulled Lorelai against him and kissed her soundly.

"So you like it," she asked innocently.

"More than like," he grinned, "You look beautiful, stunning, sexy, and every other word in the world."

"What about me," Rory asked happily.

Pulling apart quickly, Luke began to blush as Lorelai answered, "What about you, hon?"

"Do I look beautiful, stunning, and… what was the other word?"

Lorelai tried to stifle a laugh as Luke's eyes went wide.

"He said "sexy" hon," Lorelai said quickly, "But don't worry about that word. You'll learn more about it when you are older."

"Oh, so it is an adult thing?"

"Yep, and we'll discuss it when you get there."

"Okay! I'm gonna go get my shoes, and then I'll be ready to go!"

As Rory went to search for her shoes, Lorelai burst out laughing, and Luke breathed a sigh of relief.

"You should have seen your face, Luke! I thought 12 shades of red was a lot, this time, it was about 50!"

"Well, how was I supposed to react? Gosh… I have to watch my words when I'm around here."

"Babe, it's fine. Sexy is not a bad word, and she's just curious. Plus, I told her it was an "adult thing" so she knows she will learn it eventually. She's usually satisfied with that."

"I'm glad you knew what to say. I'm new to this "Daddy Luke" thing, so my skills aren't that great, yet."

"Don't worry babe, you'll get there," she replied and kissed him softly, "And trust me, you'll get plenty of opportunities with Rory. She's veeerrrryyy curious."

"Aw jeez…"

"It's fine. Just take it in stride… Now, let's get going. I would hate to be informed by my mother of how much of a disappointment I currently am because I was late, before we could even talk about how much of a disappointment I was as a teenager," she deadpanned.

* * *

"Woah," Luke stated plainly as they drove up to the Gilmore home.

"I know. Try living in it… So, I wanted to talk to you before we go in," Lorelai said seriously.

"Uh, okay, is this appropriate for little ears to hear," he replied, gesturing to Rory in the back seat.

"She's reading. She probably hasn't even noticed the car has stopped. Right Rory?"

There was no answer.

"See," Lorelai said laughing, "I told you."

"Okay then, so what did you want to discuss."

"I have to let you in on the ground rules when it comes to parties with my parents."

"Come on, Lorelai. It can't be that bad," he said, rolling his eyes.

"You can think whatever the hell you want, Luke, but these are my parents, and I know them. They can tear you limb from limb with their subtle insults, and a lot of times, it is hard to stay calm, so please, let me warn you."

"If you think it is going to be that bad, then fine, warn me."

Returning the eye roll because of his inattentiveness, she responded passionately, "Luke! Please! I know that you think that I am exaggerating, but something bad _always_ happens at these parties. I promise, I am not underestimating your ability to handle your emotions properly, but I need to warn you. You are so important to me, babe, and I don't want anything that my parents say or anyone else says to change anything between you and me."

Noticing the dread in her voice, he decided it was better to take her advice. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her. Reaching over the center console, he gently laced his fingers with hers and replied, "Okay… I don't want anything to change either, so tell me. I'm all ears, Lorelai."

* * *

"Good evening Lorelai, Rory."

Rolling her eyes at her mother's obvious avoidance of Luke, Lorelai wanted to call her out. Not wanting to start a fight before she even made it in the door, she decided against it, and replied coldly, "Hi mom… say hello Rory."

"Hi…" Rory spoke shyly.

"That is a lovely dress you have on, Rory."

"Thank you. Luke told me that I looked beautiful."

"Is that so," Emily replied, pursing her lips and shooting a glare at the couple, "Come. Let's go find Richard."

As Emily's led the way, Rory followed, and Luke and Lorelai trailed slowly behind.

"Did you see her face when Rory mentioned you," Lorelai whispered, "She looked like she was about to explode."

"She looked like she wanted to kill me. How can one person have so much hatred for someone she doesn't even know?"

"She's Emily Gilmore. Enough said."

"Richard," Emily kindly spoke, drawing her husband away from his colleagues, "Lorelai and Rory have arrived."

"Hi dad," Lorelai called cautiously.

"Hello Lorelai," Richard replied smiling, 'I'm glad you could make it." Turning to Luke, he extended his hand, "And you must be Luke. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

"Now… where is my granddaughter," he asked with a smirk, acting as if he could not see Rory.

"I'm down here…" she called shyly, swaying and looking down at her shoes.

"Why Rory, Look at you! You've gotten so big!"

A small smile appeared on Rory's face. "I'm the tallest kid in my class… and I'm the only one that can read chapter books… I'm pretty proud of that."

"Chapter books? At age five? Well, my dear, you must be very smart."

"I guess I am… Do you like to read?"

"I do. In fact, I have a lot of chapter books. How about this? Before you leave, come and find me, and I will show you my study and all the books I have."

"Okay!"

Lorelai could tell by the way her mother was gritting her teeth that she was jealous of how well Rory had taken to Richard.

"Now, Lorelai," Emily interrupted Richard and Rory's conversation forcefully, "I expect you and _him_ to circulate."

"Of course, mother. Come on, Rory. You too, Luke."

* * *

After an hour of listening to adult conversation, Rory was tired of standing. Rory pulled on Luke's arm, immediately gaining his attention. She held up her arms, and Luke, knowing what she meant, scooped her up into his arms. From across the room, Emily was watching, appalled that Lorelai would allow Luke to hold Rory as if she was his daughter. With wide eyes, she crossed the room, and interrupted Lorelai's conversation.

"If you could excuse Lorelai and I for a moment. I need her help with something."

As she pulled Lorelai into the kitchen, she began to speak irately, "What is that man doing holding Rory? He is not her father."

Trying not to rise to the bait, Lorelai spoke calmly, "Well mom, Rory is only five. She is probably tired, and she probably asked Luke to hold her."

"Lorelai, how could you be so careless? He is a strange man! How could you allow someone so unpleasant near your daughter?"

Finding it hard to keep calm, Lorelai took a deep breath and responded coarsely, "Mom! He is not a _strange man_! He is my boyfriend, and he cares about Rory."

"Oh please! As if a man of his class would actually _care_ for a child. He probably only tolerates Rory so that he can get what he wants out of you!"

All of her patience quickly faded away, and Lorelai began to yell, capturing the attention of the kitchen staff. "You're unbelievable! You don't even know him!"

"I know that if he is from that dinky little town of yours, then he is _not_ good enough for you!"

"He cares for Rory like she's his own, and that's more than you, _her own blood_ , do! You know what, tell dad goodnight for us. We're leaving!"

Storming out of the kitchen, Lorelai went straight to Rory and Luke, but to no surprise, Emily followed.

"Lorelai, you will not walk away from me! We are in the middle of a discussion!"

"Yeah, well I'm ending it. Come on Luke, let's go."

As they rushed to the door, Lorelai's world continued to come crashing down, as an unexpected guest made an appearance.

* * *

"Oh Lorelai, Look," Emily spoke haughtily, "Christopher is here!"

"I see that mom," she replied coldly, turning to Chris, she continued, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Well, thanks for the kind greeting Lor. I just came because your mother invited me," he snarked, leaning in to kiss her.

Before he could make contact, she pushed him away. "No."

"Lorelai," Emily admonished, "That was very rude of you. He is your daughter's father."

Lorelai scoffed, "Yeah, biologically, but not in any other way." Turning back to Chris, she warned him, "Chris, Rory is having a good night with me and Luke. You can see her, of course, but I swear to heaven, if you upset her…"

Before she could finish, he glanced over her shoulder and saw Luke, carrying Rory, approaching. "Luke? As in your friend Luke? What the hell is he doing here? I thought you weren't dating!"

"Well, you thought wrong …Stop making a scene," she spoke in a low, cautioning tone.

Noticing the growing conflict from across the room, Richard made his way to his daughter. "Is there a problem here?"

"No dad, we are just having a discussion," Lorelai answered quickly, hoping to end the conversation and leave.

"Actually, Richard, there is," Chris cut off, "Did you know that she was trying to replace me with some lowlife?"

"Chris! Leave it alone! This is not the time to have this conversation!"

"I'm serious Lor! Are you seriously trying to replace me with some one so beneath you?"

"I am not trying to replace you! Luke is my boyfriend, but he is not trying to be Rory's father. Although, she is clinging to him more than usual, because he IS being more of a father to her than you are! Now, I am asking you _one_ more time, drop it. I don't want to fight with you."

"No! I won't drop it… You can't blame me for anything! I'm busy! I have to work! I can't spend all of my time taking care of _some_ kid!"

"Some kid? Are you kidding me right now," Lorelai began to yell, "Chris, she is _your_ daughter! Was Rory planned? No! But I love her so much, and I have dropped everything to be the best mother I can for her! I don't give a damn if you have to work! I work all the time, yet I'm still involved!"

"Lorelai," Luke spoke softly, trying to calm her down.

Turning around to see him, she noticed Rory clinging to him with wide eyes, shaking. At the sight of her, Lorelai immediately started tearing up.

"Dad, can you do me a favor and take Rory into your office and show her your books?"

"Sure, Lorelai. I…"

"No Mommy," Rory shouted crying, "I want to stay with you and Daddy Luke!"

Silence settled in the group, as her mother's and Chris's mouths dropped open. The quiet was short lived, as Christopher resumed yelling.

"Did she just call him daddy," Chris exclaimed loudly, "Rory, he is not your father! I am!"

"He's right, Lorelai," Emily added on, "Rory, that man is not her father! You have no business calling him daddy."

"Mom, Chris! Stop! You're upsetting her!"

"Everyone, shut up!" Luke's voice boomed throughout the foyer. Everyone there stood and stared at him, shocked by his outburst. "Christopher, Emily, I don't know what the hell you think gives you the right to yell at Rory, but I swear on everything that his holy, if you continue, we are going to have a problem."

Putting Rory on the ground and lowering himself to her, he spoke tenderly, "Hey princess… I know you're scared, but everything is going to be just fine." Just as they did in the diner before the picnic, he lifted his pinky and wrapped it around hers. "See, it's a promise. Now, do as your mommy said and go with your grandpa for a minute. I heard he had a lot of cool books."

"Okay, but don't leave me," she replied sniffling, a few tears still escaping her eyes.

"We never would."

Smiling at how Luke handled Rory, Richard patted Luke's shoulder. Taking Rory's hand, he led her to the office.

"Luke," Emily began as soon as the office door shut, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself for yelling in my house like that! Did your parents not teach you any manners? Probably not! I wouldn't expect anyone of your kind to know how to behave themselves."

At the sound of the word _parents_ , the fire appeared in Lorelai's eyes. Stepping back to Luke, she grabbed his hand tightly for support and began ranting, "Mom! You will not speak to Luke like that and you _will not_ mention his parents! For your information, Luke is the most well-mannered person I know, until someone like you or Chris piss him off! Also, he is the _only_ reason Rory and I are here tonight! I was planning on cutting you and dad out, but he convinced me to come to this party! Part of me hoped this would open the door to us trying to have a relationship, but as you have shown tonight, that's _not_ going to happen!" As she ranted, tears began to fall down her face. "And you, Chris! I've tried! I've tried for five years to get you involved in mine and Rory's life, but you said no! Now that I actually have someone to care about us, you suddenly act like you are concerned! You don't care about Rory, though; you're only jealous of Luke, and that kills me! That little girl in there has cried for her daddy, and you never came one time! Now she has Luke! He's done more with her in the past three months than you've done in Rory's entire lifetime! Now, take you're judgmental and jealous ass, and get out of my life! Unless you truly want to care about Rory, I don't want you here!"

"Lor, I do care about Rory!"

"Oh really? Is that why you called her _some_ kid? Is that why you just yelled at her? Is that why you've been absent her whole life?" Not able to stand it anymore, Lorelai turned and sobbed into Luke's shoulder. Immediately, he began to run his and up and down her back and held her tight to him, trying his best to soothe her.

"Lor,"

Suddenly, Emily spoke up, surprising everyone. "Christopher, I think it's time for you to leave."

"But Emily…"

"I said, it is time for you to leave."

* * *

With Chris gone, Luke walked Lorelai into the living room and sat with her on the couch. Eventually, when she was calm enough to speak, she looked up at him with love in her eyes and spoke softly, "Thank you… for everything."

Kissing her temple, he replied in the same tone, "I could say the same to you. Thank you for defending me out there."

"I couldn't just let mom talk to you like that. She has no idea how great you are."

"And neither of them realize how great you _and_ Rory are."

For a moment, they sat in silence, but soon, Lorelai leaned giggled into his chest.

"What's so funny?"

Looking up, she shimmied onto his lap and pecked his cheek. "Boy, we are sappy, if we want to be. If you or I ever heard a couple talk like we are talking to each other, we would mock them so badly."

"And that's why I refuse to do this in public."

"But, you're willing to do it with me in private."

With a cocky grin, he began slowly stroking her thigh. Leaning forward, he growled into her ear, "There's a lot of things I'm willing do with you in private."

Slapping his chest, Lorelai replied jokingly, "Mr. Danes, how dare you insinuate such a thing in my parents' home!"

"It got you to smile, didn't it?"

"It did…" she replied softly, leaning her forehead against his, "Thank you."

"Anytime…Now that you've calmed down, do you want to go get Rory?"

"Oh gosh, Rory… I really hope that Chris being here and yelling at her doesn't hurt her too badly. She was just getting over his last visit… Did I tell you that she tried calling him multiple times after that day he showed up?"

"No."

"Well she did. He didn't answer one of them, and he never called her back. He's such a jackass."

Luke chuckled, "I know… He is definitely that. But, if Rory is upset after this, then we'll just help her deal with it. She's a strong kid, and she's got a great mom to help her get through it."

"Yeah, and an awesome Daddy Luke too," she smiled, "Let's go get our kid.

* * *

"Hey baby. Are you having fun with Grandpa," Lorelai asked hesitantly as she and Luke walked through the office door.

"Mommy," she yelled, running straight into Lorelai's arms, "I was so scared you were going to leave me…Is dad gone?"

"Don't worry hon, I would never leave you… And yes, he is gone. I'm sorry you didn't get to spend any time with him."

"I don't want to. He and Grandma were mean to you… and to him," she said while pointing sadly in Luke's direction, "Am I in trouble for calling him Daddy?"

"Of course not," Lorelai replied, kissing Rory on the cheek, "You can call him whatever you want."

"Okay… good."

Removing herself from Lorelai's arms, Rory went over and hugged Luke. While they talked to each other, Lorelai caught Richard's eye. Pulling him to the corner of the office, she began to thank him. "Thank you, dad. I'm so sorry for causing a scene, but thank you for bringing Rory in here. I didn't want her to witness that."

"Lorelai, it was my pleasure. You know, she is a very bright girl. I'm incredibly surprised by her level of intelligence at such a young age."

"Oh believe me, I know she's smart. She has been reading since the age of three, and she hasn't stopped since. She is also the smartest kid in her class. _We've_ got quite the Einstein on our hands."

Noticing her use of the word _we_ , he smiled. "Lorelai, thank you for coming. I know you probably didn't have a good time, and I promise, I had nothing to do with Chrisopher's appearance. I'm happy you were here, though."

"You're welcome," she replied smiling, "Though, you should probably thank Luke, too. He's the one that gave me the push to come."

"Tell me," he prodded curiously, "How is he with Rory?"

"Just look at them," she said pointing and glancing in Luke and Rory's direction. Luke had taken Rory over to the chair in the corner and was reading to her. "Dad, she loves him and is starting to lean on him as her father. When I met Luke, I wasn't looking for him to become Rory's father, and he's not actively trying to take over the role, but it is just happening. I can't say I blame her though."

"You know, neither can I. The way he calmed her down was quite impressive."

"I know… Wait… You don't care about whether he works at a diner? You don't care about his social status," she asked, genuinely surprised.

"Lorelai, all I have ever wanted is for someone to love you and Rory like you deserve to be loved. As it appears, I think you've found just the man."

"You think he loves me?"

"Isn't it obvious," Richard replied chuckling, "He put up with all of this mess tonight, and instead of running, he's right by your side. He seems to be quite the catch."

"You know, I think so too." Lorelai cautiously stepped forward and hugged him. "Happy Birthday Daddy. Thanks for inviting me."

Patting her back, Richard replied quietly, "You're welcome, Lorelai. I hope to see you again soon."

"Maybe we can arrange that; I'm sure Rory would love it. Although, I might need some time alone with you without mom. She's not on the top of my list of people who I want to spend time with, at the moment."

"I completely understand."

"I've got to get Rory home. It's pretty late, and I am sure she is tired. I'll try to give you a call later this week… It's the same number, right," she asked with a small smile on her face.

"It's the same number."

* * *

The car ride back was silent. While Rory was asleep in the back, Lorelai stared out the window, absorbed in her own thoughts about the night. Luke, wanting to give Lorelai time to process, didn't push, knowing she would talk when she was ready.

"I'm so confused right now," she whispered.

"Confused about what?"

"Huh," Lorelai looked over quickly.

"I said, confused about what?"

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean for that to slip out."

"Okay… but you still haven't answered. Confused about what?"

"Nothing…"

"Lorelai," he warned, "It's obviously something if you are trying so hard not to tell me."

"Fine, it's something. Something stupid my mom said, but nonetheless, it's bugging the hell out of me."

"What did she say? I thought you had already gotten over what happened tonight, earlier."

"Luke… can we wait til' we get back to Stars Hollow? I'd rather not have this conversation in the car."

"I guess that's fine."

* * *

After Lorelai got Rory settled in bed, she reemerged into the room and joined Luke on the couch. After a few minutes of silence, Luke finally spoke. "So, are you gonna start, or am I gonna have to wait all night?"

"Luke, I'm just trying to figure out how to tell you what's on my mind."

"Well, start with what your mom said. What did she say that has you so rattled?"

"It's stupid."

"Okay… As good as that is to know, that wasn't my question."

"I know. I just don't want you to be mad," she responded carefully.

"Should I be mad?"

"I don't know… gosh Luke! This is so stupid that I feel the need to ask you this, but why do you care for Rory?"

"What do you mean why?"

"I mean, why do you take time out of your life to help a five-year-old, when you hate kids? I've heard from everyone in this town that you hate kids, but for some reason, you all of a sudden have a change of heart and seem to care for Rory like she's your own."

"That's because I do! Where is all of this coming from?"

Sighing, she stood up and began pacing the room. "When my mom pulled me into the kitchen, we argued, and, of course, we argued about you. And… she is convinced that you only act like you care for Rory because you want to sleep with me."

Aggravated at her mother for the idea and at Lorelai for even entertaining it, he raised his voice slightly, "Are you serious? We haven't even slept together, yet I'm still here! If I wanted _that_ , there are many other routes I could take other than faking to like a kid just to get with her mother!"

"Shhh! Don't wake Rory up!" Shaking her head, she continued, "I know that you could find an easier situation, if you wanted too, and you are soooo good with Rory that there is no way you could be faking! I keep telling myself that, but for some reason, my mother has made me doubt! I can't help it."

"Lorelai, are you seriously standing here telling me that you think I only stay around because I want to sleep with you?"

She stopped pacing, and just stared at the ground, not responding to Luke's question.

"Are you insane," he asked, yelling.

"I said not so loud!" Grabbing his hand, she pulled him off the couch and out the door. Now that they were outside, Lorelai decided she could let loose, and began yelling, herself. "No Luke! I'm not insane! It just scares me! Everything we have, up until this moment, has been going so right! If something happened and, all of a sudden, you decided you wanted something easier, someone with less baggage, I would be devastated!"

"So this isn't even about Rory? This is about you and your inability to trust in something good! Lorelai, you don't think that I'm worried that suddenly, one day, you'll wake up and realize that you could actually find someone better than me? I'm always worrying about the future! You're not the only one who has had someone reject you when you needed them most!"

Lorelai threw her hands into her face, out of frustration. "Ughhh, I know that! And that's why I hate myself for even thinking this way! You've been through a lot of hurt too, and I know that you would never want to do something like that to anyone!"

"Then why? Why are you throwing your walls back up when earlier tonight, _we_ finally pulled them down? Why are you expecting me to eventually reject you?"

"I don't know, Luke!" she replied hesitantly, avoiding his glance.

"Lorelai, you're doing that thing where you avoid my eyes, again. I know you know…You're just afraid to tell me!"

"Luke, please," she pled, trying not to let her walls down.

"No. I can't stand here and be in a relationship if you're just gonna continuously doubt everything I do… but I don't want to let you go," he said, taking her hands in his and staring in her eyes, pleading for an answer.

Turning out of his grasp, she took a few steps back, and turned her back to him.

"Lorelai…"

"Luke," she spoke, barely loud enough so he could hear. "This is what happens when I see my mother. She makes me feel so awful about the decisions I've made. She tears me down, and I can't help but feel worthless."

Her voice cracked and tears rand down her face, as she continued, "I'm just not used to being wanted. No one wants a woman who uses dry humor to cover her insecurities. No one wants a woman who has all these walls, preventing people from getting too close. No one wants a woman who was pregnant at sixteen. No one…" she trailed off.

Hearing her confession, his breath caught in his throat. Stepping towards her, he slowly turned her around, pulling her to him. Caressing her face, he spoke softly, "Call me crazy, but I do. I want that woman. Because that woman, despite all the faults she _thinks_ she has, is perfect to me." Leaning in, he pulled her lips to his for a long, soft kiss.

Breaking for air, Luke pulled her closer. He dropped a kiss to the top of her head and continued, "Lorelai. I know you're not used to it, but I want you. I want you, I want Rory, and I want all the baggage that comes with you."

Pulling back, she looked him straight in the eyes, and spoke sincerely, "I… I… Luke, I don't know what to say. It's just my insecurity, and I'm working through it. Things normally don't work out for me, but I _really_ want this to work."

"Lorelai. This thing we've got going here, you, me, and Rory, is the most important thing I have in my life, and I'm gonna do everything in my power to keep it. I'm all in… Are you?"

A small smile grew on Lorelai's face, as she took Luke's hands in hers. "Yeah, all in… I think I can do that."

* * *

 **A/N: Looks like all of y'all were right! For the record, I am definitely NOT a Chris fan. While this portrayal may make him seem worse than he was in the show, I wanted to have Lorelai say everything that I wanted to hear her say to Chris in the original series. I have no sympathy for someone who abandons their kid, especially Chris didn't have a reason to abandon Rory like he did; he was just selfish.**


	9. Chapter 9: Is it Love?

**Chapter 9: Is It Love?**

* * *

"Ughhh, Sookie. I need coffee! I'm dying," Lorelai complained, slowly strolling into the kitchen.

"Did you not go to Luke's?"

"No. I had trouble going to sleep last night, but once I fell asleep, I overslept. I had to rush to take Rory over to Lane's, and I didn't have time to stop in to see him."

Curious as to why, Sookie asked carefully, "And you couldn't sleep… because?"

"Because... I was thinking about Luke."

"Oh my gosh! Did you guys finally do it," Sookie asked excitedly, "How was it?"

"No Sook," Lorelai replied quickly, "We didn't _do it_."

"Well then, why else would you stay up all night thinking about him?"

"I… I don't know," she replied unconvincingly.

"Oh please, Lorelai! You, of all people, would not stay up voluntarily unless it was something big. You _love_ sleep. Now, spill!"

Sighing, Lorelai grabbed Sookie and pulled her into the pantry. "Sookie, what I say here is something you have to keep a secret."

"Okay. I've got it. Now quit avoiding my question and spill it."

"I think I'm in love with Luke."

Sookie's eyes went wide, and she jumped right at Lorelai, squealing and bringing her into a hug. "Oh my gosh! Lorelai, I'm so happy for you! Why would that keep you up at night?"

"Sook, what if he doesn't love me back," Lorelai responded quietly.

"Has he made you think otherwise?"

"No," Lorelai answered swiftly, "It's just the opposite, actually."

"What do you mean?"

"Sookie, he is so good to me. Last night we got into it because of something my mother said to me, and instead of letting me push him away, he faced it head on and fought it out! I know fighting is not something to be happy about, but Sookie, he fought for me! No one has ever done that! He literally takes care of Rory like she's his own, which is something her own father won't even do! He feeds me, repairs anything I need, and he's there for me when I don't have anyone else to turn to… He's just so good to me; I honestly don't know what I ever did to deserve it. I wanted to tell him last night, during the fight, but I just couldn't do it…not at that moment."

As Lorelai spoke, a wide smile spread across Sookie's face. "Lorelai, do you hear yourself? I don't know why you are so worried, but all of what you just said made me think that that man loves you. He loves you a lot. If he didn't, what else would be keeping him around?"

"I don't know…" Lorelai replied quietly, "I can't think of anything else. Even my dad said that Luke loves me…"

"Well then, there is your answer, hon."

"But, Sookie," she spoke quickly, dropping her eyes to her feet and shifting uncomfortably, "Do you know how scary it is for me to love Luke? I have never wanted anyone like I do him, and it freaks me out that something could happen. If I tell him, then one day he just decided that he didn't want me anymore, it would not only break my heart, but Rory's too."

"Lorelai," Sookie responded sternly, "You can't worry about something that hasn't even happened yet…There are two questions that need to be asked in this situation. First, do you think Luke loves you?"

"Yes."

"Secondly… Do you love Luke?"

Slowly, Lorelai looked up, and she answered confidently, "Yes."

"Well, then tell him. Tell him when you feel the moment is right."

"Thanks, Sookie," Lorelai replied, pulling Sookie in for a hug, "I'll let you know what happens."

* * *

Later that day, Lorelai was on her lunch break, and, of course, she had to go visit Luke.

"Good afternoon Burger Boy," Lorelai called loudly as she strolled through the diner door, "I'm in need of lunch, and I was hoping you could help me with that… Coffee first, please!"

Taking a step back, Luke leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "And what makes you think I'm giving you coffee," he replied teasingly.

"Well if you don't, I'll just get it myself," Lorelai started, as she began to walk around the counter.

"No! Sit down, and I'll get it."

Instead of bringing her the mug he got her, he grabbed the smallest mug he could find. While he was setting it down on the table, Lorelai gasped. "Lucas! How in the world am I supposed to survive on such a small amount of caffeine?"

"If you keep pushing my nerves, I won't give you any."

"Fine," she pouted. "Please tell me that I am allowed to have the food I want."

"Of course," he replied while smirking, "What are you hungry for?"

A devilish grin appeared on Lorelai's face. "Are we talking in terms of food, or…" she faltered off, running her hand slowly up and down his arm.

"Lorelai," he warned, trying to ignore her touch, "You know good and well that I mean food."

"Well, how was I supposed to know? When my smoking hot boyfriend is dressed like that, how am I supposed to resist?"

"Dressed like what? I wear this everyday…"

"Exactly. It's incredibly sexy," she replied, biting her lip and dropping her gaze to his lips.

"Will you quit looking at me like that," he snapped, "There are other people in this diner."

"But it is so fun to make you blush!"

"Lorelai, I'm serious. If Patty and Babette saw you looking at me like that, I would get bugged for weeks."

"Fine… but you owe me."

"Owe you what?"

"A date," she replied smiling.

"And what do you have in mind?"

"Movie night!" Before he could even roll his eyes, Lorelai continued, "I know, I know. We've done movie nights, but hear me out. After my parents' party, I've had my fill of getting dressed up for at least the next week, so I thought we could do something more casual! I'll even let you pick the movie. Pleeeeaaasssee."

"Fine," Luke replied without argument, knowing that he wanted to spend time with her alone, "But we should do it here because I close tonight, so it will be a little later than usual… What about Rory?"

"She's spending today and the night with Lane. Mrs. Kim allowed it since Lane memorized all of her Bible verses for the week."

"Okayyy, then I guess it's settled. Does 9 work for you? I don't get to close until 8:30, and I need time to clean up and everything."

"Nine is perfect! Now… about that burger."

Sighing, Luke replied, "Sorry, I forgot… I'll be right back."

Grabbing his hand before he could leave, Lorelai quickly added, "Ooo and add extra cheese and bacon!"

"Oh yes," he deadpanned, "That's perfect for your arteries."

"But it's so tasty!"

"I'll have it out in a minute," he grumbled.

"Thanks babe," she squeezed his hand gently and smiled, "You're the best."

* * *

At 9:10, Lorelai made her way up the stairs to Luke's apartment. Knocking on the door, she didn't receive a reply. _That's weird. I'm pretty sure he said 9._

She knocked again, but again, Luke didn't answer. Deciding not to wait any longer, she opened the door to let herself in, but Luke was nowhere in sight. _What the hell? Where is he?_

"Lorelai?"

Turning around quickly, she saw Luke standing in the doorway, hands full with groceries.

"What are you doing here? I thought I told you 9."

"I hate to break it to you, babe," she replied laughing as she grabbed some of the bags from him and sat them on the table, "But it is already 9:15… You're late."

"Shit, really? I'm sorry Lorelai. I went to go get a movie, and decided I would get you some snacks. I didn't think it would take me so long."

"It's fine Luke. I was late anyway… I'm just giving you a hard time," she giggled.

Peeking into the bags, she saw they were filled with vegetables, oatmeal, and everything else she hated. "Sorry, but I'm not eating any of this green junk."

Luke chuckled at the grossed out look on her face. "I didn't expect you to. Those are actually _my_ groceries. _Your_ stuff is still in the truck. I'll be right back."

When Luke came back, he had Lorelai's snacks in one arm, but his other arm held out a large bouquet of yellow daisies.

"Aww, Luke! You got me flowers?"

Meekly, Luke answered, "Well, I wanted this date to still feel like a real date, even though we're just spending the night in. Sooo…"

"Thank you, Luke," she replied and kissed him sweetly. "You know, you're the only person that has ever gotten me flowers before." _Sookie was so right. I have no reason to doubt._

"And I've never bought anyone else flowers," he responded and returned her kiss. "You deserved something nice. Now, about that movie… what do you think of this one?"

"No way," Lorelai exclaimed, "You got _Dirty Dancing_? This is only one of the best and most controversial movies of the last decade!"

"Controversial? Aw jeez… Please tell me it's not too bad. I only got it because Sookie said you might like it…" Luke shuddered.

"You'll just have to wait and see," she giggled, dragging him over to the couch, anxious to begin their date.

* * *

Midmovie, Luke and Lorelai found themselves snuggled up on the couch. Luke laid against the back, with Lorleai in front of him and her back against his chest. His arm was draped protectively around her, and she had her fingers laced loosely through his.

"You know, Luke," Lorelai spoke suddenly, "We're actually a little like them."

"Who?"

"Baby and Johnny."

"Uh huh," Luke rolled his eyes. "And you think that, why?"

"Well, look at them. She's a privileged girl who has had everything handed to her on a silver platter. Her family _absolutely_ hates Johnny and would rather her end up unhappy with a man with a better social status. Johnny is an amazing guy who comes from a family of "lesser status", and he's willing to put up with all of the crap in Baby's life just to be with her. Plus, he takes care of those close to him, no matter what it costs him… just like you."

As much as Luke hated to agree with Lorelai's strange movie explanations, he didn't disagree with this one. His demeanor softened at her analysis of him, knowing that he truly would do anything for her.

"I guess I can see it… but there's one problem with that theory," Luke replied humorously.

"And what is that?"

"He and I are different because I would _never_ wear such fruity outfits. Those v-neck shirts are just too much."

Giggling, Lorelai turned and pecked his lips. "I agree. I'd much rather have the flannel."

* * *

Nearing the end of the movie, Luke had blushed uncomfortably many times, and he was ready to enter full rant mode.

"Why in the world would they dance like that in public? That's awful! It's like they're doing _it_ , just with clothes on!"

Lorelai grinned. "Aww, come on babe. You mean you wouldn't dance like that with me?"

"No," he answered quickly.

"You're no fun!"

Turning her attention back to the screen, Lorelai noticed her favorite scene. "Ohhh, Luke! This is the best part! We should dance!"

"I just told you, I will not dance like that."

"Oh come on, Luke! They aren't dancing dirty! It's just normal dancing… You said you wanted it to be like a real date, so let's dance!"

"Lorelai… I don't want to dance," Luke replied sternly.

"But it's not like we're in public! Please Luke," she pouted as she jumped up, extending her hand to him.

"Fine," he grumbled, taking her hand, "I swear, that pout of yours will make me do anything."

She smirked. "You act like I don't know that."

* * *

Lorelai turned up the TV a little louder, and the sound of _The Time of My Life_ filled the room. At first, Luke was a little hesitant, but as the song continued, he and Lorelai fell into perfect rhythm. Out of nowhere, Luke skillfully pulled Lorelai closer, placing his hand on her upper back, and dipped her low.

"Luke," she gasped while laughing, "What the hell was that!"

"Well, you said you wanted to dance," he smirked smugly, "We're gonna do this right, or we're not gonna do it at all."

Resuming their movement, Lorelai leaned in, laying her head on his chest, encircling his waist with her arms. "I thought you said you couldn't dance," she spoke gently

"I never said I couldn't. I just said I wouldn't."

"But really, Luke. You don't just get these skills from anywhere. I was forced into lessons as a kid, but you weren't, I'm assuming. Where did you learn to dance?"

"Honestly, I've never told anyone this, but … I … uh, learned from my mom."

A small smile spread across Lorelai's face. Leaning back, she met his gaze with sympathetic eyes, knowing how hard it was for him to talk about his family. "So that's why you don't dance?"

"Exactly," Luke replied quietly, "I haven't done it since she died."

"And yet, you're dancing with me. I'm sorry I pushed you … You know, we really don't have to do this if it makes you uncomfortable."

She started to pull away, but Luke held her tighter and kissed her sweetly. "Lorelai, at first I didn't want to dance, but now that we're doing it, I'm glad I gave in. You're the perfect partner for me."

 _This is it. This is the moment._ "Luke," Lorelai spoke sincerely, "Look at me."

"Lorelai, no. I promise it's fine. There's no one else I'd rather dance with."

"No, that's not it…" she spoke softly, waiting for his eyes to meet hers.

"Okay… then what is it," he asked hesitantly.

"Luke… I… I love you."

A wide smile spread across his face, her words echoing in his mind. "Really?"

"Yes, Luke Danes. I love you."

"Lorelai," he started as he leaned in for a tender kiss, "I love you too, more than you could ever know."

Gradually, Lorelai laced her arms around Luke's neck. They kissed slowly and tenderly, savoring the moment they found themselves in.

Unable to control themselves for very long, they brought the kisses deeper, and what started as a soft kiss turned into fiery passion. One of Luke's hands found its way to the top of her back, while the other slid down to her bottom, where he pulled her against him. A quiet moan escaped Lorelai's lips, and Luke took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. As they fell into a comfortable rhythm, Lorelai's hands slowly slipped from around his neck and down to his abdomen, where she began to unbutton his shirt.

When Luke realized what she was doing, he pulled back a moment. "Are you sure," he asked breathlessly, "We don't have to… if you're not ready."

Shutting him up, Lorelai brought him back down to her, kissing him soundly. She mumbled against his lips, "I'm ready."

Dropping her hands back down to the bottom of his flannel, she made her way up, unbuttoning every button and sliding the shirt off of his shoulders. Luke's hands found their way under the hem of her shirt, where he slowly caressed her bare skin, sliding higher and higher until he teased the sides of her breasts, causing her to arch into him. Her response ignited the fire in Luke, and his movements became more intentional, doing his best to show her just how much he wanted her.

Struggling to untuck his undershirt, Lorelai groaned. Luke quickly pulled back and removed the offending garment, and Lorelai's eyes went wide with desire. "You know, you wear way too many layers," she spoke intensely, dragging her hands slowly across his torso, "You're too handsome to cover up. You should just walk around shirtless."

"Only if you do too," he replied seductively, pulling her shirt over her head. Stopping for a moment to take her appearance in, Luke spoke earnestly, "Lorelai… you're beautiful."

A wide, sincere smile took over Lorelai's face, and she softly spoke, her words barely audible, "I love you, Luke."

"I love you, Lorelai."

With one swift motion, he lifted her and carried her to bed. "Now, where were we," he asked softly, laying her back gently, and capturing her lips with his.

* * *

"You know, I always thought that you'd be the one to say "I love you" first," Lorelai spoke softly, as she snuggled closer placing soft kisses on his neck.

Turning his head to give her better access, he replied in the same tone, "I'd be lying if I said I haven't wanted to… I've just been waiting for you."

"Boy, you've been doing a lot of waiting for me. Am I really that great," she asked tentatively.

Turning himself to face her, Luke pulled her in for slow, love filled kiss. "Lorelai, you are extraordinary. Sometimes, I just wish you could see what I see."

A small laugh escaped from Lorelai's lips. "Babe, I really hope I can live up to this image you have of me. I'm far from perfect."

"Don't I know it," he teased, "I'd be insane to think you were."

"Hey," Lorelai exclaimed playfully, slapping his chest, "I'm not that bad."

Capturing her wrists with his hands, he continued honestly, "Lorelai, you're really not…that's wat I've been trying to tell you."

Grinning, she softly replied, "Thank you, Luke."

For a moment, they just laid staring into each other's eyes, taking in they adoration they saw in them.

"Hey hon," Lorelai broke the silence, "Can I have my hands back?"

"I don't know. I was hoping that I could keep them for a little while longer."

"Why, Mr. Danes, what do you plan on doing with me," she giggled, leaning up to peck his nose.

A sly smile crossed Luke's face as he turned over her, pinning her arms above her head, and her body under his. Dropping his lips to the sensitive spot just behind her ear, he growled, causing her whole body to shiver in anticipation. "Unspeakable things."

* * *

Lorelai woke up around 6 am to an empty bed. Wondering why she was awake at such an hour and why she smelled food, she took a moment to get a grip on her surroundings. Remembering the events of the night before, a smile spread across her face. _This is so right._

As she slowly turned over, she found Luke leaning over the stove, cooking breakfast. Quietly, Lorelai snuck out of bed, grabbing Luke's discarded flannel on the way to the kitchen.

"Shouldn't you be downstairs," she asked quietly, snaking her arms around his middle and planting a kiss at the nape of his neck.

Immediately, a bright smile spread across Luke's face. Turning around, he laced his arms around her. "As fun as that sounds, I thought I'd have Ceasar open so I could spend the morning with my beautiful girlfriend," he replied, leaning in for a lingering kiss, "Good morning."

"Mmmmm, very good morning," Lorelai replied sweetly.

"How do pancakes and bacon sound?"

"Are you saying that you're voluntarily giving me unhealthy food?"

"Well, you obviously worked off the snacks you ate last night," he replied, sliding his hands down her back and down to her ass, pulling her closer, "So I thought you might need something to give you energy."

"Easy there bucko," she replied playfully, "You've got to let me eat the food first before I can do anything else."

Rolling his eyes, Luke turned and filled Lorelai's plate. "You and your food… how could I ever think I would win that battle."

"It's a pretty hard battle to win, but food wasn't even the first thing I thought of when I woke up this morning… do you know what was," Lorelai asked, as they sat down and began breakfast.

"Hmmm," Luke questioned as best as he could, considering he had a mouthful of oatmeal.

"I was thinking about how right this felt… you, me, breakfast together… the only thing missing is Rory."

"I like it too," he smiled.

"Speaking of Rory, how do you like being Daddy Luke, so far," she asked happily.

"Honestly, I'm thrilled… Is that wrong?"

"I don't think so. Being Rory's mom is the most rewarding thing I've ever done," she replied, cutting another piece off of her pancake. Before she stuck the piece in her mouth, she continued, "I went through a lot of crap with Chris, with my parents, and with the pregnancy itself, but I wouldn't change being a mother for anything. It's the most amazing experience. You're may not be her biological father, but you'll come to realize that standing in that role for Rory is wonderful. She's the best kid a parent could ask for."

"She's a great kid, Lorelai. I know I tell you that all the time, but, really, she is. You've done a great job with her."

"Yeah, well, I did what I had to do…" she replied, shrugging her shoulders. Smiling sincerely, she continued, "Thanks for being here to help with her now, though."

The continued eating in silence, but Luke sensed a shift in Lorelai's demeanor. She began moving her food around her plate, rather than eating it, and Luke knew it was a tell-tale sign for when she was nervous about something.

"Lorelai, what is it? What's wrong?"

A small laugh escaped Lorelai's lips, "How do you do that? It seems like you can read my mind… nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about something."

"When you don't eat, I know something is up. What's going on up there?"

Sighing, Lorelai slowly replied, "Luke… You don't think this is too fast?"

"Too fast?"

"Yeah… we're not taking our relationship too fast, right?" Dropping her gaze to her plate, she tried to keep Luke from seeing the doubt in her eyes. "You're already playing a major role in Rory's life, and we have only been dating for two and a half months… Plus, I mean, I know that most couples haven't taken care of a sick kid, vacationed together, said I love you, and slept together in the first two and a half months of dating. I know what I feel for you is real… and this just feels so right, but I can't help but worry sometimes…" she faltered off.

"Lorelai, look at me…" when her eyes finally met his, he continued seriously, "Do you love me, and I mean, do you know you love me?"

"Yes," she confirmed quietly but confidently.

Reaching across the table, he took her hand in his, "Lorelai, I know I love you. So if I love you and you know you love me, then what's the problem? So what, we are taking a path that's a little different from normal… Who the hell cares?"

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and to Luke's pleasure, it made it to her eyes. "Yeah, you're right. I have never taken the normal route in my life…Sorry, my insecurities just get the best of me sometimes."

"Lorelai, you don't have to apologize… just tell me these things, and we'll talk them out."

"Gosh, Luke, I really love you."

"I love you too," he grinned, "Now finish your food. I didn't make Lorelai sized portions just to see it go to waste."

"Yes sir," she remarked, mock saluting, "Eating my breakfast sir."

Rolling his eyes, he replied playfully, "Crazy Lady."

"Yep… Get used to it Burger Boy."

* * *

Pushing her chair back from the table after she finished eating, Lorelai walked over to Luke and nudged his legs, hoping he would scoot back and allow her to sit in his lap.

Knowing what she wanted, but not wanting to give in just yet, Luke just stared at her with a look of fake confusion, "May I help you?"

Rather than responding, she raised her eyebrows and nudged his legs again.

Pointing with his spoon, he replied, "You know, the chair you were just sitting in is a perfectly good chair."

"I know, but I think I like you better. Now scoot."

Deciding to pull her chain a little longer, he teasingly answered, "Can I at least finish my toast first?"

Lorelai scoffed playfully, "Are you seriously rejecting your girlfriend, who, might I add, loves you and just wants to be close to you, for toast?"

Unable to hide his grin, Luke answered, "I don't know… maybe. We were pretty close _all_ of last night and this morning. I'm not sure if I can handle her being so close to me yet."

"Fine… she is just going to take a shower then. Don't bother joining her. You might get too close," she laughed.

Turning away, Lorelai began to walk to the bathroom, swaying her hips suggestively. Before she could get too far away, Luke stood up and pulled her back by the hem of the flannel. A playful squeal escaped Lorelai's lips as she struggled to get away. "Nope, sorry," she giggled, "You had your chances, Danes! No more Lorelai love for you today."

"Are you sure there is nothing that I can do to change your mind," he asked in a low voice, dropping his lips to the side of her neck and pulling her back against his obvious arousal.

"You know, there might be one thing," she replied, turning in his arms. With a naughty gleam in her eye, Lorelai leaned in and whispered in his ear.

Luke's breath hitched in his throat at her words. Swiftly, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, nipping at her thigh as he carried her.

"I thought you'd see it my way," she laughed, happy to be literally swept off her feet by the man she loved.


	10. Chapter 10: Unforeseen Jealousy

**Chapter 10: Unforeseen Jealousy**

Later that morning, Luke and Lorelai went in for their shifts, unable to hide the bright smile on each of their faces. Between dwelling on the couple's professions of love and remembering the activities that followed, Lorelai found it difficult to focus on anything but the scenes playing out in her head.

"Lorelai… LORELAI!"

Startled, Lorelai jumped slightly, "Huh, uh sorry Sookie. What's up?"

Laughing at Lorelai's obliviousness, Sookie exclaimed, "I think I'm the one who should be asking you that… I've been trying to get your attention for the last few minutes! You've just been standing in the doorway with a lost look on your face… Where did you go?"

"Oh," Lorelai blushed and smiled, embarrassed at being caught day dreaming, "I was just thinking about the _amazing_ date I had last night."

"So I'd take your smile as a good sign?"

"I'd take it as a _great_ sign…"

"So… did you tell him?"

Avoiding Sookie's gaze, Lorelai nodded bashfully.

"No way!," Sookie squealed, "You told him already? I thought for sure you'd chicken out!"

Before Lorelai could get a word in, Sookie gasped loudly. "Wait! If you said it, oh my gosh, that means you did _it_! How was it!? Was it good!? Doesn't he have a single bed… how did that work!?"

"Sook, take a breath," Lorelai laughed, "One thing at a time."

"Aw, Lorelai. I'm sorry; I'm just so damn happy for you!"

"Thanks… and to answer some of your many questions, yes we said it…" ducking her head, she continued, "and amazing does doesn't even cover it."

"Ah! Was it on the kitchen table? I've always imagined it would be!"

Giggling at Sookie's theory, Lorelai answered, "No Sook, it wasn't on the table…and I'm not so sure Luke would want me to divulge any details."

"Oh please, I know he wouldn't _want_ you to," Sookie grinned, "but I know you will."

"I don't know if I'll tell you everything…" leaning in closer, Lorelai lowered her voice, "But let me tell you…You'd be surprised at what Luke Danes can do with such a small amount of space… and nothing is lacking, if you know what I mean."

* * *

Unlike the good time Lorelai was having at the inn, Luke had a difficult time maintaining his happiness.

"Do you really have to sit right here at the counter, Kirk?"

"Yes, Luke. This is the best seat in the house, and the only time it is available is when you are closed or when Lorelai is not here."

"That's because its Lorelai's stool… Now move. She and Rory will be here soon."

"Actually, Luke, speaking of Lorelai, I was hoping you could do something for me."

Ignoring Kirk, Luke walked around the counter and began to visit customers for refills. Much to his dismay, Kirk followed.

"Luke, I was wondering what I would have to do in order to stay in the diner for extra time after it closes. On mother's bingo nights, I don't like being home by myself, so I hoped I could be here."

"And why the hell would I allow you to do that? Closed means closed," Luke replied forcefully. The last thing he wanted to do was spend more time with Kirk than he had to.

"But Luke, you let Lorelai do it all the time! In fact, I saw her come in here last night 45 minutes after closing, and she didn't leave until this morning. I saw her coming out of the alley on the way here."

A blush filled Luke's face as he hoped that other, less sheltered customers didn't hear how Lorelai had spent the night. "Drop it Kirk," he replied heatedly, "You are not allowed her after closing. Leave me alone or I will kick your ass out the door!"

Unwilling to be deterred, Kirk pressed on, "Why does Lorelai get special privileges? I love your food as much as she does!"

From the corner of the diner, Babette decided to chime in, causing Luke to grow frustrated and even more embarrassed. "I hate to break it to ya Kirk, but Lorelai wasn't here last night for the food… if you know what I mean!"

"Aw jeez." Hoping to end the conversation, Luke began to head back into the kitchen.

At the most inopportune moment, Lorelai made her way into the diner with Rory, and the patrons of the diner immediately grew silent, waiting to see what would unfold.

"Oh Luke! Your Gilmore girls have arrived for their nightly feast!"

Before Luke could reply, Kirk jumped in. "Ah, Lorelai! Just in time… I was hoping I could…"

"Leave her alone Kirk," Luke quickly interjected.

"But Luke! It's not fair that Lorelai can spend the night here but no one else can! That's unfair business practice!"

"That's it!" Without hesitation, Luke stomped over, grabbed Kirk by his shirt, and swung open the diner door, "Get out Kirk!"

As Kirk stumbled out onto the sidewalk, Luke turned back to meet a confused Lorelai, and even more confused Rory. "Uhh, I'm just gonna go sit down and read now," Rory spoke, quickly turning to the counter and climbing on the stool.

"Luke… What just happened," Lorelai questioned carefully, knowing Luke was agitated by something that clearly occurred before she got there.

Cracking up from the corner of the room, Babette interjected, "Oh Lorelai, apparently, Kirk saw you and Luke here last night after closin', and he said you didn't leave until this mornin'! Now he wants Luke to give him special privileges too!"

Smacking her hand on her forehead, Lorelai's face laughed in disbelief, "Oh my gosh, babe… that is so creepy. Remind me to close the blinds next time."

Turning to go back to the kitchen, Luke mumbled under his breath, "If there is a next time."

Despite his best attempt to hide it, Lorelai heard his mumbled remark. Pulling him back by the hem of his shirt, she whispered in Luke's ear, "We either do it here or not at all. Your choice."

His groan of acknowledgement caused Lorelai to laugh as he sulked back into the kitchen. "That's what I thought."

* * *

Rather than having her nose in a book, Rory sat at the counter with her arms crossed and a big pout. Knowing Rory was perfectly content when they arrived, Lorelai assumed that something said between Luke and Kirk must have upset her.

"Hey kid, you okay?" That's quite the pout you've got going on."

"I'm mad at you."

Lorelai's brow furrowed, as she was confused about what she could have possibly have done. Prodding gently, she asked, "Hon, why are you mad at me?"

"Because you spend the night with Daddy Luke."

"Uhh… okay. And that makes you mad because…?"

"Mommy, you spent the night without me!"

"Ohhhh…" Trying not to laugh at the aggravated expression that appeared on Rory's face, Lorelai placed a comforting hand on Rory's leg. "Well, Rory, you were over at Lane's, so I had no one to hang out with. I thought that since you were having a sleep over, I could have one with Luke."

"But… fine. I guess that makes sense," Rory mumbled unhappily. Before Lorelai could change the subject, Rory continued, "But it's still not fair. When do I get a sleepover with him?

"I don't know hon. I didn't know you wanted to have one."

Noticing the possibility of a deep conversation from the kitchen doorway, Luke approached hesitantly and placed coffee and their meals on the counter. "Need anything else?"

"Actually, Luke, Rory has a question for you."

"Alright." While turning to Rory, his demeanor immediately softens, which does not go unnoticed by Lorelai. "What can I do for you Rory?"

"Ummm…" she replied softly, avoiding Luke's glance.

"Hey, what's with the shyness? You know you can ask me anything."

"Okay… are you busy tonight?"

Caught off guard, Luke prodded curiously. "Uh, no. But it sounds like you're asking me on a date," he teased, "Why do you ask?"

"I'm not asking you on a date Daddy Luke," Rory giggled. "That's silly! I was wondering if mommy and I could have a sleep over with you tonight? I know we kind of had one when we went to the cabin, but I went to bed before we could actually do anything fun… and I know mommy was just here last night, but I wanted to have one with the both of you."

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You don't have to convince me. A sleep over sounds great, Rory… assuming your mommy is okay with it," he answered, shifting his eyes to Lorelai.

Unable to hide her happiness, Rory asked anxiously, "Does that sound good to you, Mommy?"

Shooting Luke an appreciative look, she reached over the counter and grabbed his hand. "Sure. It sounds like fun. I love to spend time with my two favorite people."

"Yay! Thanks Mommy!"

"Alright, so it's settled. How about this," Luke questioned, "I have to close tonight, so I'll be done in around two hours. What do you say to you and your mom going home and getting your stuff while I finish up?"

Grabbing Lorelai's hand, Rory was ready to dash to the jeep. "Okay! Come on Mommy! Let's go!"

Laughing at her eagerness, Lorelai stopped Rory from hopping of the stool. "Shouldn't we eat our food first, Rory?"

"Oh yeah," Rory replied, ducking her head in embarrassment, "I guess we can do that. Thanks for the food and the sleepover Daddy Luke."

"No problem, Rory."

* * *

Rory all but sprinted to the curtain and up the stairs when she and Lorelai arrived back at the diner.

While chuckling at Rory's anxiousness, Luke met Lorelai at the counter. "Well, someone seems excited to be here."

"You have no idea," Lorelai answered, leaning over the counter for a kiss. "Before we left the inn, she had to run in and tell Mia and Sookie all about how she was getting to spend the night with you tonight."

Unable to contain his grin, Luke responded blushingly, "I'm glad she's happy."

"I have to thank you, though, Luke. I really mean it. You really didn't have to let us come over."

"It's no big deal. I love spending time with the both of you, and you know I'd do anything for her."

Walking around the counter, she snaked her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest. "And that's one of the many reasons why I love you." Pulling him down to her, she kissed him as deeply as he would allow in public, hoping he understood just how much his love for Rory meant to her. Moving apart, she spoke happily, "Alright, I won't keep you any longer, but get your cute butt in gear, and get this thing shut down. I'll see you in a bit."

* * *

Opening the door to Luke's apartment, Lorelai exclaimed, "Alright kid! Let's get this party started!" Much to her confusion, Rory stood in middle of the room with an inquisitive look on her face. "You okay, Rory?"

"Oh, yeah. I was just wondering where to put my stuff. Where are we sleeping?"

"Um, I'm not sure. I'd have to ask Luke."

'Well, where did you sleep last night?"

A slight blush tinged Lorelai's cheeks. "Well, hon, I slept on the bed."

"Oh… Did you share a bed? Lane and I always sleep on her bed when I spend the night."

Before Lorelai could create an answer appropriate for little ears to hear, Rory continued, "Actually, that's a silly question! Luke's bed is too small. You guys would have had to have slept on top of each other to fit! He would have had to have slept on the couch."

It was times like this that Lorelai was thankful for her daughter's logical mind and innocence. A smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth as she replied, "Exactly hon. His bed _is_ too small. He slept on the couch."

"Well, that was very nice of him to give up his bed for you." Deciding to set her stuff down beside the couch. Much to Lorelai's approval, she decided to change the subject. "Do you wanna play _Go Fish_ until he comes up here?"

"You know what, I think that's a great idea. I'll get the cards."

* * *

After what felt like an eternal shift, Luke stumbled up the stairs. Opening the door, he found Lorelai and Rory on the floor, still playing cards.

"Mommy! You said you didn't have any 2's just a minute ago! You're such a liar!"

Gasping with fake offense, Lorelai replied dramatically, "Rory! Why would you think that I, Lorelai Gilmore, the most honest women in the world, would ever do such a thing?"

Rolling her eyes at her mother's antics, Rory answered, "Oh please! You're crazy! You have had that 2 the whole game, but you just didn't want to give it to me, and you know it!"

"You're rolling your eyes _and_ calling me crazy… hon, it sounds like you have been spending too much time with Daddy Luke."

Hearing Lorelai use Rory's name for him caused a wide grin to spread across Luke's face. Deciding to make his presence known, Luke interjected, "She's right you know. You are crazy… Her becoming like me may not be such a bad thing, though. If I'm lucky, she'll pick up my eating habits so she can make it to the age of 40."

Jumping up at the sound of his voice, Lorelai scrambled over to him and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. "You know, that's not very likely, babe, but it's nice that you think you have that much influence over us. If it helps, I did drink one less cup of coffee today."

"I guess I'll take that," he replied, bringing her in with a lingering kiss and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Mmmmm...But you should know that the only reason I've had less coffee is because instead of giving me coffee, Sookie made ice cream sundaes for Rory and me before we came here."

"You're insane."

"But you love me," She spoke softly while grinning widely.

"Heaven help me, I do."

Breaking their trance, Rory loudly added, "Sookie made mommy a coffee flavored sundae, don't let her fool you! She made me a mint chocolate chip one, though! It was really good!"

Having forgotten for a moment that Rory was in the room, Luke quickly removed his arms from around Lorelai's waist and cleared his throat. "Uh, it sounds like it would be… So, I'm done. What should we do, Rory? This sleepover is all about you."

"Well, what did you and mommy do at your sleepover last night?"

Luke's face grew red as Lorelai tried to hide her amusement at Rory's oblivious questioning. Thinking quickly on her feet, Lorelai responded, "Well, we watched a movie, but we always do that. What is something different that you want to do?"

Directing her attention to Luke, Rory asked, "Is it too late to make cookies? I don't know if you remember, but we talked about making your mom's cookies one time before I got sick. We never did it, though. Can we do that?"

You know, I think that's a pretty good idea. What do you think, Lorelai?"

"As great as that sounds, I'm not much of a cook," she answered, which caused Rory to giggle. "I think I'll just watch you guys make them and then I will test them when you finish."

"Of course you will," he deadpanned, "Although, I think that only people who help should get to eat cookies. Do you agree, Rory?"

"Sorry Daddy Luke, but you and I both know that Mommy would find a way to make you give her some eventually. She can make you do anything."

A small chuckle escaped Luke's lips. "You've definitely got that right kid."

* * *

"So baking is just math? This is so easy! Mommy, why can't you do it?"

Luke, happy to stay out of this discussion, watched for Lorelai's response in silence wearing a slight smirk on his face and trying to hide his laughter.

"Well, hon, recipes also involve the actual cooking part. That would tend to be where I mess up."

"But the sheet says heat the oven to 375 degrees and cook for 10 minutes… it tells you how hot and how long. What's so hard about that?"

"Well, someone is a smarty pants tonight," Lorelai mumbled grumpily, "Maybe I'll just leave you here to live with Luke so you can bond over your amazing cooking skills."

Unable to keep from interjecting, Luke added jokingly, "Then how would you ever eat? You would lose all the people who can cook for you."

"Hey," Lorelai exclaimed, shooting a glare Luke's direction, "No comments from the peanut gallery."

Raising his hands in mock surrender, Luke turned back to Rory, and the baking continued, but when Rory moved to hand Luke the bag of flour, it slipped out of her hands, right onto the floor. The contents of the bag exploded, creating a white cloud in the tiny kitchen. As the cloud settled, it cleared to reveal Luke and Rory covered in white dust.

Lorelai burst out laughing at the sight. "Oh my gosh! That's what you both get for being mean to me!"

Taking a look at both Luke and herself, Rory began giggling as well. "Daddy Luke, we look so funny!"

Luke's attempt to act angry failed as he watched the mother and daughter having such a good time. "You know, Rory, I think we look pretty nice, but there's something missing."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're standing here covered in flour, but your mom is all clean… I don't think that's fair."

Lorelai's laughing stopped as she took a step back from the kitchen. "Don't even think about it."

Before she could react, Luke lunged for her and captured her waist, effectively causing the flour on him to end up on her as well. This action caused Rory to laugh even louder.

"Luke! This is my good work uniform!"

"I'm sorry," he spoke unconvincingly and placed a quick kiss on her cheek, "I didn't think it was fair that you weren't getting to enjoy the mess."

"Well, you definitely got my clothes dirty… these better be some damn good cookies," she grumbled.

"Don't worry, Mommy! They will be," Rory said happily as she ran and wrapped her arms around the both of them, "I'm having a lot of fun. Thanks for having a sleepover with me! You guys are the best!"

* * *

Soon after the cookies finished, Rory crashed on the bed, leaving Luke and Lorelai some time for themselves.

"You know, I think you guys did a pretty good job on these cookies, but I think I need to have a few more before I can make my official judgement."

Rolling his eyes, Luke responded, "You've already had seven… I'm surprised you're not in a sugar coma."

"Oh come on… they're really good! Here, eat one."

Much to Luke's displeasure, Lorelai shoved a cookie his direction, but he was able to avoid it. Moving out of the way, Luke warned, "Don't even try. Do you remember what happened last time you tried to force feed me something?"

Eating the rest of her eighth cookie, Lorelai stepped towards him. "Of course. I'm pretty sure that's how we ended up in this situation."

Not really trying to stop her advances, Luke spoke unconvincingly, "Lorelai, Rory is right there. We can't."

Grabbing a hold of his t-shirt, Lorelai pulled him to her and whispered, "Exactly. She's right there, so you'll have to be quiet."

Before he could respond, he found her lips on his, but he did nothing to stop it. Breaking apart for air, Luke grimaced. "You taste like chocolate. I hate chocolate."

"Too bad... You'll just have to deal with it," she smirked

"I guess, if I have to," he answered teasingly, " Maybe I can suffer through it."

Wrapping her arms around his waist, Lorelai looked up adoringly. "This has been fun. It's so great to see Rory this happy. She really loves you, you know."

"I think I picked up on that… I love her too."

Rather than responding, Lorelai nuzzled into his neck and allowed silence to fall. This silence did not last long, however, as it was broken by the sound of Lorelai's muffled laughter.

"What's so funny," Luke asked, slightly confused.

"I just remembered that totally forgot to tell you about what Rory did when we got here tonight."

"Should I be worried?"

"Worried, no, but if you had been here, you probably would have reached a record number of shades of red."

"Aw, jeez, what happened?"

"Well, she didn't know where to put her stuff because she didn't know where she was sleeping, so she asked me where I slept when I was here last night."

"And what did you say," Luke answered hesitantly, hoping this conversation wasn't going to go where he thought it would.

"Welll, I told her that I slept on the bed… but then she asked were you slept."

"Please tell me you said I slept on the couch," Luke winced slightly as he spoke.

Laughing at his reaction, Lorelai responded happily, "Eventually I did, but she also worked it out herself. She said, and I quote, "Luke's bed is too small! You guys would have had to have slept on top of each other to fit. He would have had to have slept on the couch."

"Oh my gosh." Luke buried his face in her neck, trying to stifle his laugh.

"Be thankful for the innocence of a five-year-old, babe."

"Believe me, I am. She's one hell of a kid."

As much as she tried, Lorelai was unable to conceal her yawn, and this didn't go unnoticed by Luke. "Are you ready to go to sleep, Lorelai?"

"I'm not tired, I promise." Much to her dismay, her façade was broken by another yawn.

A slight grin spread across Luke's face. "Oh really, is that why you have yawned twice in the last thirty seconds?"

"Luke, I promise, I am not tired. We so rarely get to spend time talking without Rory around. I want to make good use of our time." Before she could finish her defense, she was interrupted by another yawn. "What the hell is my problem," she laughed, "I've never yawned this much in my life!"

Pulling her to him, Luke placed a kiss on the top of Lorelai's head. "It's fine. You're tired; I know it. Let's go to bed, and we'll talk tomorrow."

Groaning, she removed herself from his arms. "Fine, but I am only doing this because you said to. I am honestly not tired." Reaching up to kiss him, she whispered, "I love you, goodnight."

"Yeah, whatever… I love you too. I'll have coffee ready for when you get up."

"Thanks Luke, you're the best." Climbing in behind Rory, Lorelai settled in comfortably, knowing that this was one of the most memorable nights of Rory's life, and for that, she was thankful.


	11. Chapter 11: Dads and Ducks

**A/N: Hello all! I want to thank everyone who reads and reviews my story. I never thought my JavaJunkie fanfic would be this popular!**

 **Chapter 11: Dads and Ducks**

The following afternoon, the bells above the door rang in a way that only Lorelai could make them, signifying her presence in the diner. Much to Luke's dismay, the Lorelai he saw on the other side of the room was very different than the one he had seen earlier that morning.

Groaning loudly, Lorelai dropped her head on the counter, and immediately reached out her hand for the to-go cup of coffee that was sure to appear.

"Happy Monday to you too," Luke spoke sarcastically. "I'm pretty sure you were in a better mood when you and Rory left this morning."

Sighing, Lorelai raised her head slightly to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry… The past two days have been so great that I forgot that I had something important to do today."

"And what is that important thing?"

"I have to call my dad," she cringed as she replied.

Walking around the counter, Luke took her hands in his and led her behind the curtain, away from the prying minds of the diner customers. "Okay. So, you had a terrible time at the party… care to explain why you are making contact so soon?"

"While you were reading to Rory in my dad's study, we talked… and it was a really nice talk. Anyway, at the end, he apologized for Christopher's appearance, and he told me that he was happy I was there." Taking a breath, she leaned into his chest and continued. "It felt really good to hear that...You know? So, I asked him if his office's number was the same so that I could call him to set something up for me and Rory to see him, without the influence of my mother. He said yes, and I promised him I would call today… That's how I got to this point."

"I hate to be the voice of reason her, but it sounds like you were the one to initiate it. What's the problem?"

"I know," she sighed, and began to speak softly, "I was the one to initiate it, but Luke… I am just scared. I don't know how to have a relationship with my dad. I don't even know how a relationship with him would work."

Hearing the genuine fear in her voice, Luke began trailing his fingers through her hair and down her back in the soothing manner only he could do. "I'm sorry. This is probably the one thing I don't know how to fix… but I do have an idea. Why don't you bring him here? It's a place other than the shed, which I know you don't want him to see, and it's also not a normal restaurant. You'll feel more comfortable here, and I'll be close by if you need me."

"You wouldn't care? I know that spending the evening with my dad probably isn't the most ideal situation for you."

"Lorelai, if it helps you, then I'm all for it."

Her megawatt smile returned to her face, much to Luke's approval. "Thanks, Luke," she spoke happily, standing on her tip toes to kiss him, "I hate to do this, because I really want to kiss you more…but I've got to get back to the inn. I'll call you later and let you know what's going on."

* * *

While Lorelai knew that staying at the diner for a little while longer was what she wanted to do, if she didn't head back to the inn and make the phone call then, she might not have had the courage to do so, later.

"Gerhman-Driscoll Insurance Corporation, Richard Gilmore's office. This is Marjorie speaking. How may I help you?"

"Yes, hi Marjorie. Is Mr. Gilmore available?"

"At this moment, Mr. Gilmore is occupied. May I ask who I'm speaking with?"

"Oh, uh, yes. This is Lorelai Gilmore, Mr. Gilmore's daughter."

"Yes, Lorelai. Richard mentioned you might call today. Hold on just one moment."

As she was put on hold, Lorelai gave herself a mental pep talk, hoping she would be able to make it through this call. "You can do this," she sighed, "Your and adult, and it's just your dad. You can do this."

"This is Richard Gilmore."

"Hi, it's Lorelai," she spoke hesitantly.

"Oh, hello Lorelai. I wasn't sure you would call."

"I told you I would, dad," she replied nervously, "So, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to come to Stars Hollo sometime this week to see Rory… oh and me."

"Of course. I would love too, Lorelai. Let me check my schedule… ah, yes. I am available after 3 pm on Thursday, so what do you say to my company around 4 pm?"

"Yeah, that sounds great dad… um, are you going to mention this to mom?"

Despite his attempt to conceal it, Lorelai could hear him sigh into the phone. "At this point in time, I assume you wouldn't want me to, so I won't… However, if these visits are to continue, I will have to inform your mother of my actions eventually."

"Yes daddy. I understand. Do you still have the address to the inn?"

"I do, so Thursday at 4?"

"Yep. Thursday at 4. Bye dad."

"Goodbye Lorelai."

As she put the phone down, she couldn't tell whether the feeling she was experiencing was fear or relief. _What have I gotten myself in to?_

* * *

Before she felt prepared enough to face It, Thursday afternoon arrived. Pacing back and forth in the foyer of the inn, Lorelai readied herself and Rory for the night to come.

"Alright kid, your grandpa will be here any minute, so be prepared."

"Okay." Cautiously, Rory asked the biggest question that was on her mind. "Mommy, is grandma coming too?"

"No sweets, grandma isn't coming today. It's just grandpa coming to visit. You liked grandpa, remember?"

A small smile appeared on Rory's face. "Yeah, I did. He likes to read like I do."

"Exactly… and remember that while he is here. If you feel like you don't know what to say, just talk about what you like to read."

"I will… Look mommy," she exclaimed, "He's here!"

Looking out the window, sure enough, Lorelai saw her father walking up the path to the door. "I see that, hon. Why don't you go outside and greet him?"

"Okay!" At this, Rory scurried out the door as Lorelai followed slowly behind.

"Hi grandpa! It's me, Rory! Do you remember?"

Bending down to her level, Richard spoke smoothly, "Of course I do. It is very good to see you again. Have you gotten taller?"

"Maybe! Mommy says I'm growing like a weed," she rambled, "She even threatened to put a brick on my head, but I don't think that will work."

"Speaking of your mother," Lorelai chimed in, "Hi dad. It's good to see you."

"Hello, Lorelai. Thank you for inviting me. This a very charming inn."

Before Lorelai could respond, Rory interjected, "It's really cool, and there is a lake out back with ducks! Real ducks! Do you want to see?"

"Why of course, my dear, lead the way."

Without hesitation, Rory took her grandpa's hand, pulling him behind her. Lorelai, happy to let Rory take the lead, was a few steps behind, wearing a slight grin on her face. Whether she liked to admit it or not, she was happy to see Rory take to Richard so well.

"So, this is Sir Quacksalot. Mommy named him. That one is Mr. Flappy. I named him. Mia's duck is over there. Her name is Doodles."

"Well, those are some creative names. Do you spend a lot of time here, Rory?"

"Of course! Me and Mommy live here."

At the sound of Rory's words Lorelai's breath caught. _Shit… I knew I forgot to tell her something. Let's get this over with._

"Do you," he asked surprised, turning to Lorelai, "You live in the business you work for?"

"Not exactly Dad..." she faltered off.

Not seeing the slight tension, Rory continued happily, "We don't live in the inn, Grandpa… Come with me, and I'll show you."

Much to Lorelai's dismay, Rory led Richard to the potting shed.

With the disapproval evident in his voice, Richard questioned, "You live in a shed?"

Avoiding his glance, Lorelai took sudden interest in the grass below, knowing that if she looked up, she would no doubt see the hurt in her father's eyes.

"We do, grandpa! It's perfect. We live in a house near the woods, just like Snow White does! Mommy and me live like princesses!"

Unseen by Rory or Richard, a small grin appeared for a short time on Lorelai's face, as she was happy that Rory had a good outlook on their less than ideal living situation.

Clearing his throat, Richard looked to change the subject. "I see. Very well then… Say, Lorelai, is there a pace you would like to have dinner?"

Glad he was unwilling to approach the topic of their living situation, Lorelai responded, "Yeah, dad. How would you feel about going to Luke's? Rory and I go almost every night, so we thought we'd include you in our tradition."

"Yeah, Grandpa! Do you want to go with us to Daddy Luke's? I haven't tried it, but Mommy says that he makes the best coffee." Extending her hand, Rory looked at Richard expectantly.

"That sounds delightful," he responded, taking her small hand in his, "I'm always looking for a good cup of coffee"

"Well, then you're in luck! Mommy says that she's never had better coffee than what is at Luke's! His is even better than Sookie's."

* * *

"Here we are, dad. This is Luke's Diner," Lorelai spoke nervously, "Uh, why don't you and Rory choose a table, and I'll go talk to Luke for a second."

Seeing her approach the counter, Luke could tell that Lorelai was a little more on edge than he thought she would be.

"Hey, how's it going," Luke asked carefully.

"As well as it can, I guess..." A slight grimace appeared on Lorelai's face as she added, "He saw the shed."

"I'm sorry. I know you didn't want him to… What did he say about it?"

"He didn't actually say anything because, of course, Rory was there to tell him how we live like princesses," she laughed softly, "But, honestly, I can tell he was disappointed."

Giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, Luke responded, "Well hopefully dinner will go better." Reaching under the counter, he poured two cups of coffee, knowing that she would need all the coffee she could get. "Here, take this and give one to your dad. I'll be over in second."

"What, no lecture," she teased, "No telling me I'm rotting my insides? No saying that I'm gonna clog my arteries if I keep being unhealthy?"

Rolling his eyes, he spoke gruffly, "I'm gonna be lucky if you make it to 35."

"Hmmm, not your most creative line, but I'll take it," leaning over the counter, she quickly pecked his lips, "See you in a minute hon."

* * *

After quickly attending to the needs of other customers, Luke made his way over to the trio sitting at the corner of the diner.

Sitting a coke for Rory on the table, Luke was met with a bright smile in return. "I didn't order, and you got me what I wanted! Thanks Luke!"

As much as he tried, Luke could not stop a grin from appearing on his face at the excitement Rory showed over the little things. "No problem, princess… So, what can I get for everyone?"

Before Lorelai could interject, Richard took the lead, "Hello Luke. I don't know what I would like to eat yet, but I would love to get another cup of coffee. This is outstanding, and might I add, this is a nice place you've got here."

"Uh, thank you Mr. Gilmore," Luke stuttered, surprised by the complement he received.

"I noticed that there was a hardware sign above the door. Is there a reason you haven't taken it down? It could be confusing for tourists."

"Dad," Lorelai quickly interrupted, hoping that he wouldn't probe too far into Luke's background.

"It's fine, Lorelai," Luke replied, with a reassuring smile, "Actually, sir, this building belonged to my father. He used it for a hardware store, but after his passing, I felt that I couldn't run that type of business, so I opened the diner. I keep the sign there in honor of his memory, I guess."

"So, the building was a family heirloom of sorts, but you built this business from the ground up, then?"

With a slight nod, Luke responded cautiously, unsure of where this conversation was headed. "Uh, I guess you could say that. I had help from some family friends when I started, but for the past few years, it's been just me and a few employees."

"Well, I must say, that's rather respectable Luke."

"Thank you, Mr. Gilmore." Out of the corner of his eye, Luke caught the sight of a slight grin on Lorelai's face. Quickly meeting her gaze, he gave her small smile in return, and proceeded to take their orders. "So, what can I get for everyone?"

"I think I want breakfast for dinner. Chocolate chip pancakes, two eggs over easy, and bacon… oooo, and forget the normal syrup. I want some of that blueberry stuff you gave me yesterday," Lorelai ordered excitedly.

"So that will be regular pancakes, without syrup, eggs, and oatmeal then," Luke teased in reply.

The bright smile disappeared from Lorelai's face, and in place she gave him a death glare. "Or, I could just go back in the kitchen and attempt to make it myself," she snarked, rising from the table.

"No. Sit… Okay, Rory, what about you?"

"Daddy Luke, can I have a cheeseburger and fries, but can I also have cheese on the fries?"

"Any chance you'll take the oatmeal…" At her shaking of her head, he continued gruffly, and with an obvious eyeroll. "You are your mother's child… For you Mr. Gilmore?"

"I think I'll have what Rory is having, but with a side salad instead of fries."

"I see Lorelai didn't get her eating habits from you," Luke joked, "Alright, I'll be back in a few."

With Luke gone, Lorelai was hesitant to start a conversation, and before she could find a comfortable topic, Richard began speaking. "Lorelai, I was hoping to get your input on something."

Not sure of where her father was headed, Lorelai answered cautiously, "Okay… and what is that?"

"I know that you wanted to avoid the topic of your mother, but I wanted to see how you would feel about attending a family dinner with the both of us once we get back from Martha's Vineyard in a few weeks."

Seeing her aggravation rise to the surface, Richard pressed on before she could vocalize her disagreement. "It would just be me, your mother, you, Rory, and if you'd like, Luke. There would be no party, and I would ensure that no unexpected guests arrive."

"Dad," she spoke carefully, trying to avoid starting something in front of Rory, "I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"Lorelai, I don't expect an answer right away, but I just wanted to hear your thoughts. I know you'd like to avoid seeing your mother, however, I am not completely comfortable carrying on these meetings without involving her every so often."

Knowing that he wouldn't leave the topic until she formed some sort of response to satisfy him, Lorelai answered thoughtfully, "I'm going to be honest and say that I don't know what my answer will be. I promise, I will think about it. I will weigh my options, and I will talk to Rory, and even Luke, about it. With all due respect, after the stunt she pulled last time, I'm not so sure I'm ready for mom to think that all is right with us. What she tried to do seriously hurt me, dad."

"I understand. Thank you for at least entertaining the idea."

Before the conversation could continue, Luke arrived with each of their meals. "Okay, cheeseburger and salad, cheeseburger and death fries, and pancakes, two eggs over easy, and bacon."

"Oh," Lorelai spoke, a slight hint of astonishment in her voice.

"What?"

"You put the eggs on top of the pancakes."

A quiet giggle escaped Rory's lips, and she spoke softly, "Oopsies." At this same time, Richard grinned, and a chuckled. "Oh no, I forgot about this."

Hearing their strange replies, he looked at both of them with confusion written on his face, and turned back to Lorelai. "What?"

"Yeah, well, it's like two eyes staring at me. I can't eat it like this."

"What are you talking about? You always order the same thing."

"Yeah, but you usually put the eggs on the side so that my breakfast is not ogling me."

"But it's the same food."

"Hmmm, yeah, I need the eggs put on the side."

As they continued their banter, Richard leaned towards Rory and spoke softly, "Are they always like this?"

With a quiet laugh, Rory nodded her head quickly. "Mommy likes to mess with Daddy Luke. It's really funny."

Knowing how frustrating some of the quirks of his daughter could be, Richard was surprised to hear and took note of the lack of true aggravation in Luke's tone. "He seems to handle this well. Not many people can keep up with your mother's tricks."

"He does," Rory replied happily, "Sometimes he even messes with Mommy to get back at her."

Taking note of the enduring battle before them, both Richard and Rory turned their focus back to the couple.

With an exasperated sigh, Luke continued blankly, "You just want a brand-new plate."

"Yes," she responded with a big smile, "And you would be the best boyfriend every for getting it for me. "

"How about if I take this plate in the back, I take the eggs off of the pancakes, I put the same eggs on the side and bring the plate back out. What happens then?"

"Then I can eat it."

"It's the same food, just a different configuration."

"I won't know that," she smirked and replied.

"You know what, I'm just gonna take the plate in the back," he grumbled, "I'll be back."

* * *

After Lorelai's plate was returned without the ogling eggs, and after another small battle over her desire for more syrup, dinner continued in peace and was filled with lighthearted conversation. By the end of the meal Rory was hyped up and ready to take Richard on the tour of the town, and despite Lorelai's initial hesitance, by 6 pm, Rory and Richard were out the door of the diner.

"So, grandpa, this building over here is Miss Patty's Dance Studio. She was on Broadway!"

Taking in her excitement, Richard responded rather enthusiastically, "Wow, Broadway. That's quite the accomplishment."

"I think it's cool! I wasn't good at dancing though. I'm a lot better at school stuff."

"You know, Rory, doing well in school definitely is not a bad thing. It is very good to be smart… So, you enjoy school?"

At the prospect of discussing school, the light appeared in Rory's eyes. "I do! I think it is a lot of fun! I want to go to Harvard one day!"

Chuckling, Richard answered, "Harvard, huh? I'm much more of a Yale man myself. That's where I went to school."

"You went to college?"

"I did. Maybe one day I could take you to visit. You may like it just as much, or even more, than Harvard."

"That would be awesome, Grandpa!"

Continuing their tour, they eventually found themselves sitting on a bench on the other side of the square from the diner.

"So, Rory, I haven't gotten the chance to ask you. How have you been? Have you done anything fun since I last saw you?"

"I'm good! Since I am not in school, I don't have much to do. Most days I help mommy and Mia at the inn. Mia lets me read in the library sometimes."

Confused by the prospect of a child being allowed to be at work with their parent, Richard questioned carefully," Does this Mia mind you being there? Do you always go to work with your mother?"

"Mia doesn't mind at all. She says I am a good worker. I don't always stay, though. Sometimes I go with Lane to her house. Her mommy is the one that own's the antique store," Rory answered, pointing in the direction of the white house that contained the store.

"That sounds nice."

"It is. She's my best friend besides mommy," Rory continued animatedly, "But Lane's mommy is very strict, so I don't go over to her house as much. I also spend the day at the diner with Daddy Luke, if the inn is very busy. Don't tell Mommy, but he also lets me help sometimes."

"Interesting." Taking the chance to continue his evaluation of his daughter's apparent boyfriend, Richard continued, "Do you mind if I ask… What do you think of Luke?"

"I love Daddy Luke," Rory exclaimed as she grinned widely. "He's grump with a lot of people, but he is really nice to me… and he makes Mommy happy. She used to be sad sometimes before."

Puzzled by Rory's revelation, Richard asked troubledly, "And why do you say that your mother was sad?"

"I can just tell. She says I'm very ob… observant. I think that's the word."

Despite his concern over Lorelai, Richard chuckled, "Yes. Observant is correct. Your mother is right. You are very bright girl Rory… Say, what do you think about going back to the book store we passed and picking out a book. It's my treat."

"Really," Rory asked excitedly," Thanks Grandpa!"

* * *

Following their tour of the town, Rory and Richard made their way to the agreed meeting spot of the gazebo. Seeing Lorelai enter the gazebo a few minutes later, Rory broke her conversation with Richard momentarily to greet her. "Hi mommy!" Turning back to him, Rory continued happily, "So, grandpa, did you have fun?"

"I did. This is a quaint town you've got here."

A puzzled look appeared on Rory's face. "What does quaint mean?"

"Well, it's similar to charming… old fashioned."

"Stars Hollow is quaint…" she grinned widely, "I like that word." Noticing the to-go bag in Lorelai's hand, Rory gasped dramatically, "Mommy, did you have more food without me?"

Both of the adults grinned at Rory's ability to change from subject to subject so quickly. "I'm sorry hon, you were out with grandpa, so I just needed something to do while you were gone."

Huffing in frustration, Rory pleaded, "Can I go back in and see if Daddy Luke will give me some pie?"

"Sure hon. You go inside, and I'll stay out here for a minute. Say goodbye to grandpa."

"Oh yeah!" Turning to Richard, Rory wrapped her arms around his neck and spoke happily, "Bye grandpa. I had a lot of fun. Thanks for the book."

Patting her back, he answered "It was my pleasure… now go enjoy that pie."

With Rory gone, Lorelai knew that she would have to send her father off all by herself. "So," she spoke carefully as she took Rory's abandoned seat, "Thanks for coming dad. I It looks like Rory had a great time."

"Well, she's a wonderful kid. I'm glad I could come."

An awkward silence enveloped them, as neither knew how to continue. Clearing his throat, Richard took the lead hesitantly. "Lorelai… I hate to bring this up now, but since Rory is no longer around, I wanted to mention something about it. I'm sorry you felt bad enough about your mother and I that you had to come here."

"Dad…" she began softly, but faltered off, not knowing the right words.

"I know you had your reasons, though Heaven knows I may never accept them, but are you sure you don't want to come back… or at least allow us to help you pay for better conditions for you and Rory?"

"Daddy," she sighed and rambled on, "You know I won't do either of those things. I know things may seem bad, and it probably brings back all the horrible aspects of my teenage life for you… And see, I'm really sorry that you're somewhat disappointed in the life I chose, and I really wish there was something I could do to fix that, but there probably isn't. But I can accept that because I am an adult now, and I am proud of who I have become… But please, I am begging you, please, please do not make this house thing an issue. Don't feel bad, and don't worry. I'm happy here just as I am."

Remembering Rory's prior comment about Lorelai being sad, Richard was slightly comforted by the reassurance of her happiness. "Lorelai, your happiness is all I've ever wanted."

"And that's how it is. I really am happy. I've got a good job, and I'm close to being able to get a house of my own. I've got an amazing, _amazing_ boyfriend, and I've got the _best_ daughter on the planet." Taking a deep breath, she smiled shyly but continued, "And hopefully, I've at least got the start of a relationship with my father."

Gladdened by her apparent desire to continue in building their relationship, he spoke strongly, "You do… I mean it when I say I had a wonderful time." Standing up, he extended his hand to her. "Please, I know you said you would, but please take having dinner with your mother and I into deep consideration."

Grabbing his hand and going tentatively into a hug, she spoke quietly, "I will. Thanks for coming… I'll walk you to your car."

What started as a day filled with worry ended with all parties involved having the smallest bit of hope that things would be better in the future.


	12. Chapter 12: Decision to Make

**Chapter 28: Decision to Make**

As soon as Richard left Stars Hollow, Lorelai reentered the diner to see Rory at the counter. Walking up and placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder, Lorelai spoke happily, "I see you were able to work your magic for some pie. Was it the pout or the eyes?"

"It was both," Rory spoke softly with a giggle.

"I see I taught you well…Is that the new book grandpa got you?"

"It is. It's a little harder to read, but grandpa said I could take as long as I wanted to read it, so I'm gonna try it."

"Okay...I'm going to go talk to Luke for a minute, but holler if you need me."

Knowing her daughter was safe in the main room of the diner, Lorelai walked over to the curtain and called out to Luke, "'Hey, Luke. Can we talk a sec?" Before he could turn and respond, she disappeared into the stairwell.

Seeing that the dinner rush wouldn't begin for another half hour, Luke knew that he had the time to chat. As he made his way behind the curtain, he was met with Lorelai sitting on the bottom few stairs. Sitting beside her, he spoke plainly, "Hey, how's it going?"

When she looked over at him, he was met with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Sighing, she responded, "It's actually going pretty well. Aside from his visit to the shed, it was decent night."

"That's great. I know how much this going well meant to you." Taking her hands in his, he continued, "I can tell there's something on your mind, though."

A small laugh escaped Lorelai's lips. "You're always able to see right through me."

"That's because I know you… and why else would you ask me to talk here instead of bugging me endlessly at the counter," he smirked.

"Hold on." Taking a second to check on Rory, Lorelai peered around the curtain quickly, and saw her daughter safely in the same spot she left her. Turning back to Luke, she bit her lip and ducked her head in embarrassment, "I just need to talk to someone about somethings, and I figured that since you're my boyfriend and all that you'd be okay with it. I don't know if you'll be able to help, but I kinda need to get this stuff out. I've got Sookie, but she hasn't met my parents, so she doesn't really understand. Plus, I…"

To cut off her rambling, Luke planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"Well, that's one way to get me to stop talking," Lorelai joked.

"And it's a method that I have no problem using," he grinned. "So…you know you can talk to me about anything. What's up?"

"Um, okay… Do you think it is wrong to be jealous of your own kid?"

Cocking his head to the side, Luke glanced at her with a clear look of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean… you should have seen Dad with Rory. He was attentive and listened to her stories, no matter how wild they were. He didn't stop holding her hand practically the whole visit. He kept telling her that she's smart and can be whatever she wants to be." Lowering her voice, she quietly continued, "He never did that with me."

"I'm sorry, Lorelai."

Taking a sudden interest in the floor, Lorelai avoided looking in Luke's eyes, knowing that if she did, he would see the moisture gathering in them. "Thanks, but you don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault. My dad raised me the way he was taught to. I know I tell you this all the time, but I really did come from a different world. Dads… they don't spend time with their kids. It's just how it is. They don't take their daughters to the mall… They don't listen to their hopes and dreams… They don't buy them the Barbie." With a soft sigh, she regained control of her emotions and looked up hopefully, "Sorry to go on a tangent there… it's good that he's trying now, right?"

When she met his eyes, he could see her need for reassurance. Despite his unsure feelings about her parents, he knew she needed him to be supportive. "Exactly… Maybe this visit can be a turning point or something."

"I just don't know where to go from here. I know he wants me to try to start talking to my mother again, but I just don't know whether I am prepared for that."

"What does he want you to do?"

"That was something else I wanted to talk to you about. He said that when they get back from Martha's Vineyard, he wants us to come for dinner. They are leaving this weekend, and they aren't coming back for a month and a half or so, but it is still scary. Look what happened the last time I actually tried to reach out… my mother tried to destroy our relationship."

"Oh trust me, I remember," he joked, attempting to lighten the mood. "Maybe your dad can convince her to back off a bit."

"Yeah…Do you think I should do it? It's hard to sway my mother once she has her mind set on something, and I don't know if it's worth the risk of her manipulation."

Shaking his head, he responded carefully, "I don't know. It's your decision to make. I gave my input last time, and it completely blew up in your face… I'm really sorry for that, by the way. They are your parents, and you know them better than I do. I'll just go along with whatever you do. You'll make the right choice."

"And if I don't?"

"You will."

"You'll be here?"

"The whole time," he reassured.

With a bright smile, Lorelai leaned over to kiss him tenderly. "Thank you."

Instinctively, Luke pulled her into his arms. "C'mere."

Automatically, Lorelai leaned in closer and nuzzled his neck. Planting a kiss to the top of her head, he spoke confidently, "For the record, I'm very proud of you. It takes a lot to try to open up to people who have hurt you badly in the past. Hell, even I can't say that I would do it."

"Thanks," she spoke into his chest, "Thanks for listening, and thanks for dinner. It was a lot easier having you here." Leaning back, she reached her hand to the back of his neck, bringing him into a sweet, lingering kiss. They kissed leisurely for a few moments, using up the rest of the time they had before he had to get back to work.

When he broke the kiss, Luke saw the glimmer return to her eyes. "There is one more thing you can do for me before you have to relieve Ceasar."

"And what is that?"

"Well…" Somehow, Lorelai moved in even closer, where her lips hovered teasingly above his, barely brushing against them as the spoke, "I was hoping you would be willing to give me some more coffee."

With her back to her teasing self, Luke knew all was right again. With a playful sigh, he stood up. "You're such a tease. I don't know why I hang around you."

"Life would be so boring without me…"

"Yeah, and much easier too… you're hard work."

With mock insult, she scoffed, "Uh, I'm insulted. I will now proceed to pout."

"I saved you some ice cream," he deadpanned as he pulled her with him into the diner.

"Ooh, the pouting has left the building."

* * *

As the day began to wind down for the Gilmores in Stars Hollow, things were just getting started at the Gilmore home in Hartford.

Returning home from his visit, Richard walked in the door, and was immediately faced with his wife.

Emily's expression was mixed with worry and anger, and she roughly spoke, "Where have you been? I have been trying to get a hold of you for hours! I even called your office, and they said you were gone."

"Emily, I simply had a meeting with Joseph Talbot. There's no need for concern."

"See," Emily seethed, "That's what Marjorie said, but you'll never guess who called… Joe's wife. And while I was talking to her, she mentioned that you weren't with him because he was at home."

Proceeding to work off his tie, Richard decided to reveal some bit of truth. "Fine. I was not with Joe. I had an important meeting with someone else, however, it does not matter where I was. I am home now."

Emily grew stiff and responded sternly, "It most certainly does matter! Where did you go that required your office and _you_ to lie to me?"

"I just had a meeting with someone…"

"And why won't you tell me who it was?!"

Sighing in frustration, Richard finally gave in. "Emily, I was with Lorelai and Rory."

Stunned by his admission, she answered in a lowered tone, filled with hurt, "Lorelai and Rory? And you didn't think to tell me you were spending time with _our_ daughter and granddaughter?"

"Well, need I remind you that you are not Lorelai's favorite person at this point in time? I don't enjoy hiding things from you, but I was forced to in order to remain in contact with our daughter."

Becoming defensive again, Emily answered harshly, "I did what I had to. You saw that man she was with. There is no way she could have any sort of successful relationship with him! Men of his status are only after one thing!"

"You might want to rethink that notion, dear. After what I saw and heard tonight, I believe we've met our future son in law."

"Oh, please, Richard. This is just one of her flings. You and I both know that she is too stubborn and flighty to stay in a relationship."

"I don't think so. Things seem different… Emily, our daughter seems different," Richard spoke with conviction, "Although, who knows, maybe she's the same she's always been. Maybe we just never took the time to notice."

With a scoff, Emily replied, "You make it sound like we neglected her. We gave her everything she could have wanted, and to thank us, she chose to take Rory and leave."

"I'm still hurt by her choice, but there's no need to dwell in the past. She's opened the door for us, with _that man's_ help, I might add. We better make the most of this opportunity while we have it."

"His help? How does that man have anything to do with our relationship with Lorelai and Rory? I was the one who sent the party invitation!"

"Emily, I will not argue with you over Luke's standing in Lorelai's life, because I believe that you know how likely it is that he is going to be with her into the future… You simply do not want to admit it to yourself. I proposed the idea of the three of them coming to dinner after we return from Martha's Vineyard… She said she would consider it, and I truly believe that she is. I have to warn you, though. If you continue to try to interfere, she may shut us out completely. I don't know about you, but I would like to have some sort of contact with her."

"I would like to have some sort of relationship with her," Emily spoke softly and sighed. Her momentary lapse of vulnerability quickly disappeared, when she continued strongly, "However, I simply cannot approve of how she is living her life."

Deciding to contain his anger, Richard replied clearly, "I don't know how to convince you, but you must know that Lorelai has turned into a wonderful young woman. While I don't prefer the situation she is in, she is fundamentally living her life in the way I hoped she would. Lorelai is hardworking, ensuring that she has everything that she and Rory need. She seems to have such a bright outlook on life, and she is doing a wonderful job with Rory. In terms of Rory, goodness Emily, she is a _very_ bright girl, much like Lorelai when she was younger. I know all of this, but in order for you to see it yourself, you'll have to find a way to stop trying to manipulate her life. I have opened the door for us… Now you have a decision to make."

For a moment, silence grew between them. With slightly slumped shoulders, Emily stood, dropping her gaze to the floor momentarily. "Well, alright then." Before Richard could respond, she turned and began walking upstairs. "I'll be back down in a while. I'm going to go and call Tweeny and discuss our upcoming event."


	13. Chapter 13: Changing Dates

**Chapter 29: Trading "Dates"**

In the weeks following the visit with her father, Lorelai's life became hectic. With the surprise quitting of a desk manager, Lorelai took on the role, along with her normal maid job, until a replacement could be found. Outside of work, she spent what time she could with Rory and Luke. While it was easier to see her daughter because she lived with her, going on dates with her boyfriend, or even finding the slightest bit of alone time, became difficult to do.

One Tuesday morning, when Lorelai could get away from the inn for a few minutes, she burst into the diner, taking her typical seat at the counter. "Good morning, Burger Boy. I don't have much time, but Sookie has Rory so I could come and see you. How is my pretty boyfriend doing this morning?"

With a scowl on his face, he turned roughly towards the pot and replied gruffly, "I'm not pretty."

Noting the real frustration in his voice, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Well, good morning to you. It's been a while since you've been in such a pleasant mood," she spoke sarcastically, "Who pissed you off?"

"Taylor… He's being a pain in the ass. I swear, if I find him waiting for me at the doorstep of the diner one more time, I might just kill him… Here." Shoving the full coffee cup in her direction, he turned, grabbed his rag, and began scrubbing at the nonexistent stain on the center of the counter.

Trying to break through his rough exterior, Lorelai teased, "Don't you think that you might want to try saying that a bit nicer? You could always say… Here is your coffee, Lorelai. Why, don't you look absolutely stunning this morning?"

Rolling his eyes, he answered, "I'm busy… I don't have time to do this."

"You don't have 30 seconds to flirt and act happy around your girlfriend?"

"Lorelai," he sighed, "I'm in a bad mood, and I don't want to say something that will piss you off too, so either tell me what you want to eat or let me get to other customers."

With an exasperated sigh matching his, Lorelai stood up and quickly marched around the counter. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him forcefully behind her into the storage room.

"Hey, stop!" Pulling his arm away, he glared. "What the hell was that for?"

Placing her hands on his shoulders, she spoke sternly, "Look Luke, I came here to see you and hopefully spend a little time with you before I have to dig into to work, because Heaven knows that our time without Rory's presence has been slim for the past two weeks. I'm only able to be here for about a total of ten minutes, and since you've spent the last two being less than nice, I don't know whether I'll stick around for the final eight. Now, I know that he can be a pain in the ass, but I am not Taylor, so you have about thirty seconds to change your tone or I'm headed out."

As she finished her rant, Luke's shoulders slumped. Pulling his cap off and running his fingers through his hair, he sighed, "You're right." Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I'm sorry. You're not Taylor."

The aggravation disappeared from her voice as she responded comically, "You know, that's a good thing too, because, otherwise, this whole dating thing would be a little weird."

Despite his attempt to keep his gruff demeanor, Luke couldn't keep a grin from tugging at his lips. "I don't even want to think about that…So, how has your morning been?"

Meeting his grin with one of her own, she replied happily, "It's a lot better now. Thank you for asking… I'm sorry for being blunt, but I only have a small amount of time here, and I want to spend it with nice Luke."

Wrapping his arms around her middle, Lorelai's naturally came to rest loosely around his neck. "It's alright. I need you to do that every once in a while… So, you mentioned in your rant that we haven't had much alone time with everything going on at the inn. What do you say to a date tonight?"

"Hmmm," she spoke with fake contemplation, "I guess you're still my favorite boyfriend, so I might be able to make time for you. I'll have to check and see if I can get a sitter for a few hours, but I'll let you know as soon as I find out."

"Good. I know I was a jerk, but it really is good to see you this morning. I've missed you." Leaning in, he planted a sound kiss on her lips.

Pulling back with a grin, she answered agreeably, "I've missed you too. This is nice."

Drawing her tighter against him, Luke leaned in and growled seductively, "You know, if I'm thinking right, you still have about six minutes until you need to leave."

"Why Luke, do you happen to have a way to occupy my remaining time?"

Starting at her lips, he kissed her sweetly, and began trailing his lips across her jaw line and down her neck. "I think I might have one idea."

"Ooo, making out in the back room! I like it! That's one way to get back at Taylor. He would die if he found out!"

With a groan, Luke pulled back and grumbled, "Do me a favor and don't ever mention Taylor while we do this." He gestured between them. "It kills the mood."

A small giggle escaped her lips. "Oops, sorry!" Bringing his lips back to hers, Lorelai laced her fingers through the curls at the base of his neck. "We better make this time count," she whispered.

"Oh, believe me, I plan on it."

* * *

"Luke's"

"I think the universe is against us."

"Lorelai?"

"Of course it's Lorelai… Who else answers the phone with such random comments?"

Taking a step into the kitchen, and noting the hint of frustration in her voice, Luke questioned hesitantly, "Right...Is everything okay?"

"Not really."

"What is it? Did something happen to Rory? Are you alright?"

Hearing his concern, she answered quickly, "Woah, woah, woah. Sorry to scare you, but we're both fine. I just wanted to know if you could do something for me… Gosh, I hate to do this, but, uh, how would you feel about trading a date night with me for a night with Rory?"

A sigh of relief quietly escaped his lips. "Well, I'm always good to watch Rory… but what about our date?"

Groaning, she responded frustrated, "That's where the universe comes in. I found out when I got back here this morning that Mia is sick. Along with that, Lane has Bible study tonight with her mom, and Sookie has to be in early in the morning, so I can't get a sitter. Then Sandy, the night desk worker, called in and said that she is unable to come in until 11:30 tonight. She asked if I'd cover it, and with Mia out, of course, I am the only person who could cover it… If you can't take Rory, I don't know what I'll do. She can stay here for a while, but she'll get tired, and I don't like leaving her in the shed to sleep alone, but I guess if I had to…"

Cutting her rambling short, he reassured her softly. "Lorelai, it's fine. You don't have to try to convince me. I can even come pick her up after the dinner rush if you need me to."

"Oh my gosh, thank you Luke! I'll stop by when I get off to pick her back up."

"You don't have to do that. You'll be tired, so you can just sleep at the shed so you don't have to drive here half asleep. Rory can just spend the night here if she's up for it, and I'll drop her off in the morning."

"Luke, I don't want you to do that. I don't feel right pawning her off to you til morning when I'm perfectly capable of picking her up."

"It's no problem"

"No," she argued, "You're already cutting your diner work short. I can't ask you to take care of her all night and tomorrow morning."

"You're not asking," he sighed, "I'm offering. How about this? I'll pick her up and bring her to the diner while I close. I'll bring her back there and I'll stay with her in the shed til you get off."

"I'm not gonna be able to convince you otherwise, am I?"

A slight grin appeared on his face, "Not a chance."

As well as she knew him, she could tell he was smiling through the phone. "Thank you, babe. I owe you big time."

"You don't owe me anything, Lorelai. I already told you I would help with her when you need me to."

"Well, still, thank you," she answered lovingly, "You have no idea how much it means to me that you do it… I love you, Luke. I'll see you in a bit."

"Love you too. See you later."

* * *

As he stepped through the back door of the diner, Rory trailing happily behind, Luke prepared for his first _real_ night of babysitting in a while.

"Alright Rory, it looks like it's just you and me. What do you want to do?"

"I'm actually a little tired," she responded, "I helped mommy by running things around the inn. Can I just sit down here at the counter and read until we go back?"

"It's fine with me if that's what you want to do. Have you eaten?"

"No… Mommy had something for me to eat, but I forgot to grab it when we left. Sorry," she answered worriedly.

"It's no problem," he reassured gently, "I've got plenty of things that I can make you here. What do you want?"

A small smile appeared on her face, similar to the bright one her mother always wore. With hopeful eyes, she asked, "Can I have a cheeseburger and onion rings?"

Responding with the same eyeroll he uses with the elder Gilmore, he answered, "You _definitely_ are your mother's child. Are you sure you don't want something a little healthier?"

Scrunching her nose at the word healthy, she quickly pondered his question. "I don't really like healthy food. If you want to, you can put lettuce and tomato on the burger, but that is the only healthy stuff I like."

"I guess that will have to do," he grinned, "I'll bring it over when it's done, but yell if you need anything in the meantime."

* * *

After dinner, they made it back to the shed, and by Rory's choosing, they were going to end the night by watching a movie. Making his way over to the couch with the bowl of popcorn, Luke sat down, and was met with Rory immediately snuggling into his side.

"So, what movie did you pick for us?"

"I found Bambi," she answered sweetly, "I haven't watched it in a long time. Have you ever seen it?"

"Not many times, but I have. My sister used to watch it when we were kids."

"I like it! I don't watch all of it because some parts are sad." Much to Rory's dismay, the sound of rain outside began to fill the small space, causing her to tense and unexpectedly grow quiet.

Feeling her grow stiff, Luke pulled back to look at her and was met with a look of fear. Quietly, she whispered, "Does that sound like a storm is coming to you?"

Listening for a few moments, Luke answered cautiously, "It might be. I heard it was supposed to rain tonight."

If he hadn't listened hard enough for her response, he would not have heard the quiet "Oh, no" that escaped her lips.

Suddenly, a crash of thunder boomed, causing Rory to jump and cling to his shirt. "Hey, you okay," Luke asked quietly, his voice laced with concern.

Scooting closer, Rory spoke into his chest, "I'm scared. I don't like storms.  
"C'mere," Luke answered softly, pulling Rory into his lap. Naturally, Rory nestled as close as possible as Luke began softly stroking her back. "What does your mom normally do to make you feel better?"

"We read stories, but I finished the one I was working on in the diner."

"You have other books over there. Do you want to start another one?"

"I don't know,' she whimpered, "I just want Mommy."

"I know, but I'm right here. I've got you."

Feeling her tears soak his shirt, Luke knew he had to find a way to comfort her. Speaking in a soft voice, he questioned quietly, "How about this? When I was little, Liz and I would turn off all of the lights and get all the lanterns in the house. Then we would play a game until the storms stopped. Do you want to do that?"

Sniffling, she looked up and asked, "You'd play even if it was the middle of the night? Your parents let you?"

Chuckling lightly at her ability to be logical even when terrified, he answered calmly, "Yep. We would get so tired so fast that we'd fall asleep and forget about the storm."

"Okay, I guess we can do that."

Quickly, Luke rose to his feet, carrying Rory with him, and strolled to the kitchen. Grabbing the lantern out of one of the cabinets, he turned off all the lights, and made his way back to the couch. "Rory, do you know what shadow puppets are?"

"No… What are they?"

"Well," he answered, angling the light to shine directly on the ceiling, "If you hold your hands in from of the light at just the right place, you can make shapes."

As Rory cast her gaze to the ceiling, she was met with the shape of a bunny, and se perked up. "Wow… that looks like a rabbit!"

"That's what I was going for," Luke chuckled, "Do you want to try?"

"I don't know how."

Taking her small hands in his, he began to position them in front of the light. "Here… Cross your thumbs and stick the rest of your fingers out to the side."

"It's a bird! Look Daddy Luke," she exclaimed as she began to wiggle her fingers back and forth, "It looks like it's flying."

Happy to see her forgetting about the storm outside, he squeezed her shoulder encouragingly, and praised, "There you go, princess, now you're getting the hang of it."

"Can you do any other shapes?"

"Of course… Here. Make your hand like mine. Hold your left hand like this, curl your first finger, and tuck in your thumb."

"Is that a camel," she questioned excitedly."

"Yep, and if you move your pinky, it looks like the mouth is moving."

Pulling in her bottom lip with her teeth, a look of determination appeared on Rory's face as she tried to mimic Luke's motion. Luke couldn't help but notice how much she looked like her mother in this moment, having seen Lorelai with the same resolute look many times. Seeing Rory begin to slowly wiggle her little finger, he encouraged, "There you go. Exactly like that." Much to his pleasure, he was me with a wide smile.

For a few more minutes, the continued to explore different animals, and as Luke expected, Rory quickly grew tired and was able to fall asleep leaning back against his chest. Taking her to the couch, he laid her down, and sat beside her, wrapping a protective arm around her legs. Before long, he fell asleep himself.

* * *

Around 12:00 am, Lorelai finally stepped through the doors of he shed. Upon entering the small living space, she was met with a scene similar to the day Luke had brought Rory home with the chicken pox. Trying not to wake either of them, Lorelai slowly moves Rory to the bed, but as she returned to the couch, Luke stirred.

"Hey," he spoke softly in a groggy voice.

"Hey back," she whispered, leaning down for a kiss, "Sorry to wake you. I thought I'd movie Rory to the bed."

"It's okay." Making the move to get up, Luke continued, "I'll go so you can rest."

Placing a light hand on his chest, she had him lay back down. "No, it's okay. I don't want you driving back to the diner half asleep. Just stay here tonight, and we'll talk more in the morning."

"Okay." Bringing her hand to his lips, he placed a light kiss on her palm, "Go get some sleep."

* * *

Waking up around six, Rory was still asleep, so Lorelai padded towards the kitchen in search of coffee, but, spotting Luke sitting awake on the couch, she sluggishly walked over and plopped herself next to him. "Here, lay down," he spoke softly, scooting to the end of the couch. Without hesitation, she laid her head in his lap, where he immediately began trailing his hand through her curls. "You got in pretty late. How did everything go?"

"It was pretty boring. Time drug by… Sorry to spur this on you last minute."

"It's no big deal. We had a good time," he reassured.

"How did she do with the storm," pausing to yawn, she continued, "I was worried. I wanted to come out here, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to go back in and leave her if I did."

"She was a little freaked out, but we talked about it and played a game… I was able to calm her down."

"You're so good with her. I love that," she spoke happily, giving him a sleepy smile.

"She makes it easy."

"Thank you, though. You were a big help. I'm sorry about our date. I was really looking forward to it."

"I was too," he sighed, "But things happen. Besides, we're alone now."

"Yeah," she scoffed lightly, "But I'm half asleep, and we can't do much with Rory being right over there."

"True…but I like spending time with you like this. If you haven't noticed, I'm not really into extravagant things. I'm a pretty simple man. I've got my girls here with me… That's all I need."

Leaning up, she planted a light kiss on his lips. "That's sweet." Getting herself comfortable again, she yawned and added softly, "I love you."

"I love you too… you know you can go back to sleep, right? I have to leave in a little bit anyway, and I know you have to be tired."

"But I'm not tired."

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "Not this argument again. You're yawning, so I know you're tired. Get some rest."

With little energy to put up a fight, Lorelai gave in and mumbled quietly, "Mmmm, okay," and quickly gave in to falling back to sleep.

Much to her dismay, Lorelai woke up a few hours later to Luke gone. Hearing Rory stir in the other room, she made her way to their bed. Laying down, Lorelai began stroking her daughter's back, waiting for her to come to.

"Hey sleepy head… how was your night?"

Stretching, Rory let out a small whimper and replied softly, "It was okay. There was a storm… I missed you mommy."

"I know, hon. I was thinking about you the whole time. Luke said you did a really good job, though."

"We made shadow puppets on the ceiling. He said that he used to do it during storms when he was a kid. It was a lot of fun."

Lorelai grinned, knowing how hard it was for Luke to do anything that reminded him of his childhood. It sounds like it. I'm sorry I wasn't here, but I think you got the next best thing."

"I did… I love Daddy Luke."

"I love him too, kid. Speaking of, it's time for breakfast, and I don't have to go in until later. What do you say to visiting him at breakfast?"

Sitting up quickly, Rory answered brightly, "I think it's a good idea! Maybe he'll give me some coffee today!"

Laughing, Lorelai answered, "I doubt it, but let's use the pout and puppy dog eyes and see what he'll let us do… Maybe he'll let us put powdered sugar on our pancakes."


	14. Chapter 14: Patented Luke Danes Date

**Chapter 30: Patented Luke Danes Date**

In the following days, life failed to slow down, and Luke and Lorelai, while able to see each other for nightly dinner, were unable to plan a date for themselves. On Friday morning, Lorelai wanted some time with Luke, and decided that no matter what, this would be the day for it.

Strolling into the diner, she was met with Luke, as usual, cleaning the counter. Looking up, he spoke plainly, "Hey… Did I know you were coming? Where's Rory?"

Without stopping at the counter, she continued towards the storage room, "She's with Mia… You. Me. Storage room, now. We need to talk."

Caught off guard by her demand, he stuttered, "Uh, okay," and followed behind her.

Before he even had a chance to ask what was going on, she spoke. "You don't have anything to do tonight, right?"

"Right…"

"Okay, then don't make any… I'm taking you out."

Slow to catch up, he repeated, "You're taking _me_ out?"

"Yes! Every time you've tried to plan a date, we haven't been able to go for some reason, so I am going to plan it this time."

"Lorelai," Luke sighed, "You don't have to do this."

"Ah…no I don't, but I am," she answered, placing her hands on his shoulders, "The universe has been against us, but I am taking matters into my own hands. Me and you… We're going out tonight." Satisfied with her tiny rant, she leaned on her tip toes and planted a quick kiss on his lips.

"Are you sure you can? I am fine with waiting a little while."

With an exasperated groan, she threw her hands out, "Ughh, Luke. You're always waiting on me. I don't want to wait. I want to go on a date."

"I do too, but it's fine."

'Okay," she glared at him, "Do you want to go on a date or not. I have time, and you have time, but you don't seem like you want to go."

Placing a comforting hand on her arm, he spoke compellingly, "Oh believe me, I want to, but I don't want to stress you out by taking up time you don't have or time that you might need to spend with Rory."

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, "I get that… and thank you for caring about my time with Rory, but Luke, we have a relationship too. As hard as it may be to find time, generally an adult relationship calls for dates and alone time. Because of my hectic life, we haven't gotten any of that. Not that I'm desperate or anything, but I just really want to be with you. You and me. Luke and Lorelai. Burger Boy and Crazy Lady," she laughed, "Please, let me take you on a date tonight."

"I'd like that," he answered with a small chuckle. "I'll can meet you at the inn around 6. Is that a good time for you?"

Loosely wrapping her arms around his neck, she brought his lips down to hers. "It's perfect… I've got to get back to work because I told Mia I'd only be gone for a few minutes, but I'll see you later." Before she left the room, she turned back and added, "Oh, and dress casual."

Before he could question further, she scurried out the door.

* * *

Almost as soon as Luke stopped knocking, the door to the potting shed was opened, and he was met with Lorelai standing on the other side in a red baseball uniform, dark denim jeans, and tennis shoes. "Luke! How many times have I told you that you don't have to knock anymore? You have a key. Just open the…" she faltered off, noticing his eyes trailing up and down her body. Ducking her head in self-consciousness, she asked, "Why are you staring at me?"

Broken from his trance by her questioning, he answered with a shrug, "I've just never seen anyone look so sexy in a baseball jersey." Leaning in, he planted a warm kiss on her lips, "I like it."

"You and your complements," she laughed, backing him out of the doorway and outside. "I've already fallen for you, Burger Boy… You don't have to keep wooing me."

"It's not wooing… It's the truth," he smirked. Finally noticing the writing on the jersey, he questioned curiously, "Wait… Is that mine? Where did you find that?"

Her mischievous smile was enough of an answer for him, but she responded playfully, "Welllll, I may or may not have gotten Patty to see if she could find some ancient baseball memorabilia in the historic boxes of Stars Hollow High… I was lucky enough for her to find a jersey that happened to have your name on it." Turning slowly, she revealed the "DANES" written in bold letters on the back above the number.

Seeing Lorelai's happiness, Luke couldn't help but be amused by her antics, "You're insane, you know that," he asked as he began playing with the buttons of the jersey, "For the record… It looks much better on you than it _ever_ did on me."

"Save the sweet talk for later," she joked as she backed away from his meddling hands, "I have a date planned, and as much as I'd like to jump you right now, I actually want to do this."

Remembering that she hadn't told him of her plans, he prodded, "What exactly are we doing?"

"We are going out for a patented night of Luke Danes romance."

Luke's brow furrowed. "Care to enlighten me on what the hell that is?"

"You know," Lorelai assured and took his hand in hers and leading him to the parking lot. "Juice bar, followed by the batting cages, and possibly a trip to your bachelor pad after," she answered, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"I have never been on a date like that."

"Oh please, you, Butch Danes, professional at all things sports related, are telling me that you never took any of your past girls to a batting cage?"

"First, I told you not to call me that… I can't believe the Patty told you about that," he sighed, running his hand over his face. "Secondly, No. I haven't exactly dated girls who are athletic."

Laughing, Lorelai answered, "Well, it looks like you kept your streak up by dating me… But, Luke, I really want to do this. We always do something that I like, so I thought it would be cool to do something you'd like… Even though I'm probably not good at it."

One look in her eyes told him that she was really trying her best to make him happy. Brushing his lips against hers, he pulled her closer. "Thank you… this is really nice. I'll do it, but if you get bored, let me know, and we'll find something else to do."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," she responded as she leaned into his embrace, "Now let's get going. I'm excited to see my super sexy hunk of a boyfriend show off for me.

* * *

"Thanks for spoiling me and letting me get this, Luke," Lorelai stated with a wide grin, as Luke sat down a triple chocolate milkshake in front of her. "Who would have thought that they would have milkshakes at a juice bar? I had _all_ intentions of slumming it with you and drinking that healthy junk, but they just so happened to have this wonderful concoction, and I couldn't resist."

Responding with his trademark eyeroll, Luke muttered, "Yeah, who would have thought?" Dropping his straw into his juice, took a drink quickly and continued, "Any chance I can get you to try this?" The scowl that appeared on her face was enough of answer for him. With a slight chuckle, Luke added, "Didn't think so… So how was your week?"

"It's been okay… I'm sorry I haven't had much time to spend with you. Working both of these jobs combined with spending time with Rory barely gives me enough time to sleep at night."

Reaching across the table and taking her hand in his, Luke gave her a reassuring smile, "It's okay. I knew coming into this thing that Rory comes first… Speaking of the two jobs, how is finding a replacement manger going?"

"It's not," Lorelai replied with a groan, "Mia has been interviewing all week, but we still haven't found anyone. The people she's interviewing don't know the first thing about running an inn like the Independence…"

Knowing what her answer would be before he said it, Luke hesitated to respond, but did so anyways. "You know… maybe you could ask Mia for an interview. I'm sure you could do it, and it would be much easier to find another maid."

With a careless swat of her hand, she laughed slightly. "Oh no. I don't have the qualifications. I can do it until she needs me to, but I don't think I'm the one for the job. I'm only a maid."

"Yeah, a maid who has been doing a great job at a position she's never really been trained for. If you can do this well without being prepared, you can definitely do it if she trains you. You're Lorelai Gilmore… You can do it."

While ducking her head, a slight blushed tinged Lorelai's cheeks. "I love that you have that much confidence in me, but I think you may be a little biased."

"I'm not… I know you. You should talk to her."

"I don't know … I guess I'll think about it."

"That's all I'm asking," he smiled.

Suddenly, a giggle escaped Lorelai's lips as she shook her head, "Look at us… Here we are, finally alone, and we are sitting here talking about work. Do you think other couples talk like this?"

Confused by her meaning, he questioned, "Like what?"

"Luke, we've barely been with each other for a few weeks now, and we're talking about work… Next thing you know, we'll be talking about finances or grocery lists. It's not very exciting."

'Lorelai." He sighed her name affectionately. "It doesn't have to be exciting all the time... Believe me, you are exciting enough for me. I never know what to expect from you," he chuckled, "I'm just glad to be here with you."

A wide grin appeared on Lorelai's face. "I'm glad to be with you too…" Leaning over the table, Lorelai kissed him quickly but meaningfully, knowing he wasn't fond of PDA. "So, tell me… how is this whole baseball thing supposed to work?"

* * *

Walking hand in and through the parking lot, Lorelai realized she wasn't sure what to do first. "So, I know I had this planned an all, but aside from the directions to get here, I don't know where to go first… Care to take the lead?"

Giving her a quick kiss, Luke responded, "No problem... before we can bat, we have to get our bats and helmets."

Stopping dead in her tracks, Lorelai turned to Luke with wide eyes, "Helmets? Who said anything about helmets? It will mess up my hair!"

With a laugh, Luke pulled her along towards the equipment stand, "Some people don't use them, but it's your first time. You need protection just in case." Seeing the naughty smile appear on her face, Luke cut her off before she could speak up. "Don't even say dirty… It's too easy. Come on, maybe we'll be able to find you something pink."

"Oooo, pink! Pretty! Alright, let's go."

Despite the fact it was a Friday evening, the batting cages were fairly empty, leaving Luke and Lorelai room for their own private area at the end of the cages. After picking out their gear, Luke stepped to the side, away from Lorelai, and tested the weight of his bat with a few swings.

"Luke, are you sure we can't use the same bat? What if I want to share with you?"

Stopping his swings, he turned towards her and answered, "You can't use my bat."

Scoffing, she replied, "And why not?"

"Because, Lorelai, my bat is too big. You have to use a smaller one."

Turning to him with a knowing look, she laughed. "Excuse me, Butch, but I've handled _your_ bigbat perfectly fine before…" Stepping back, she met his embarrassed look with an amused grin, "Who knew baseball was such a dirty sport?"

Shaking his head, he shot back, "Only you would think of it that way… Do you want to go first, or should I?"

"You go first. I'll just sit here on the bleachers and watch you."

While Luke stepped into the cage and prepared to bat, Lorelai couldn't help but marvel at the man, her man, standing in front of her. As each pitch came flying at him, Luke swung with ease, making contact and sending most of them to the back net of the cages. With the next pitch about to come, Lorelai called out, "If I knew you looked this hot playing baseball, I would have planned this a long time ago."

Her words slowly registered with him, and Luke turned to face her just as a pitch flew by, causing him to jump. "Can you save your flirting until I get finished," he grumbled back, "I'd rather not get hit today."

Turning back to bat, Luke finished his turn and walked out and over to Lorelai. As he approached her, he noticed the slight grin on her face. "You thought that was funny, didn't you," he spoke gruffly.

"Come on…it was a little funny," she laughed, "The look on your face when that ball flew by was priceless!"

Rolling his eyes, Luke walked over and grabbed the bat he chose for Lorelai. "Alright. If you think it's so funny, then it's your turn to try."

"But you did so well," she whined, realizing Luke was turning the tables on her, "I don't want to do it! I won't be good at it!"

"Nope! You planned it, you do it."

" _If whining doesn't work, then maybe flirting will,"_ she thought. "But Luke," she spoke, as she closed the space between them, "I'm enjoying the view. Watching you be all athletic and manly makes me want to take you right here, right now."

Giving in for a moment, Luke looked around. Noticing that there was no one else around, he brought her in for a heated kiss. "And just looking at you anytime makes me feel that way… By the way, those jeans you're wearing are really working for me." Slowly, his hand began inching lower and lower down her back.

"Are you flirting with me, Butch?"

"And if I was?"

Bringing herself as close as possible, she answered huskily, "I'd say let's leave right now and come back another day." Still holding on to him, Lorelai began backing away from the cages, but she was halted by Luke.

Planting a kiss just below her ear, he whispered, "Nice try… but you still have to bat."

"Ughhh," she exclaimed, pulling herself out of his arms.

"It's not so fun being on the receiving end of the tease, is it," he asked smugly.

After five minutes of negotiation, Lorelai finally set foot into the slow pitch cages. "Luke, are you sure this is safe? I'm not going to get hit, right?"

"As long as you stay in the white box, you'll be okay."

Lorelai slowly eased into the box, and Luke stepped in behind her, helping her get into the proper batting stance. "I can't believe I'm doing this, Luke."

"You'll do fine," he answered in a low, reassuring voice, "Keep your eye on the ball, and I'll help you swing."

Unable to resist because of the position they were in, Lorelai wiggled against him before the first pitch was even launched.

"You keep doing that, and you might end up getting pushed out of the box," Luke grumbled. Turning around, he pushed the button to start. "Okay, the ball is gonna come at you pretty slow, so you'll have time to react. When it gets close to the plate, swing."

The first pitch flew out, and much to Lorelai's dismay, they missed. The same thing occurred for the next few pitches, but eventually, they were able to make contact, and by the end, Lorelai was hitting the ball a decent distance.

"Did you see that Luke," Lorelai exclaimed happily as the last ball bounced along the ground, "Look how far we hit it!"

"I saw," he laughed, "Are you ready to try on your own?"

"Do you think I can do it?"

"I know you can."

Luke quickly exited the cage, and he leaned up against the chain link barrier and called out instructions. "Remember, Lorelai, watch the ball the whole time, and swing when it gets close."

As with her first attempt, she missed the first few pitches, but as the fourth ball approached the plate, she smacked it, and sent it soaring back toward the pitching machine. "Oh my gosh! Luke! Look!"

"Look at you, you're a natural," he chuckled, "Keep going!"

By the time her round had finished, she had successfully hit the rest of the pitches. Running out of the cage, Lorelai dropped her bat to the ground and ran over to Luke at the fence. "Did you see me! I turned into Butch Danes in there!"

"You did great." Leaning down, he brought her lips to his in a soft kiss, "I'm very proud of you."

With a wide smile, she leaned into his chest and spoke happily, "Thank you for helping me… and for coming tonight. It's been a great date."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he answered, trailing his fingers through her hair, "Did you have anything else planned for the night that I don't know about?"

Leaning back, a playful look appeared on her face. "Well, the third portion of the patented Luke Danes date includes a trip to your bachelor pad… Did I do well enough to earn that?"

"I think you did fine…You may have done well enough to reach second base when we get back," Luke answered, teasing her lips with his quickly.

"Damn. Now look who's making baseball a dirty sport."

Brushing his knuckles across her chest at the opening of her shirt, Luke answered quietly, "I think it was you who made it a dirty sport when you decided to wear my uniform like this. I'm fairly certain I buttoned a few more buttons when I used it."

"Well," Lorelai spoke softly as she leaned up towards his ear. Her arms slipped from his neck, and down his back. Sticking her hands in his back pockets, she drew him against her, bringing her body into full contact with his. "I knew my skills in actual baseball wouldn't be too great, but I was hoping that with some incentive, we'd go back to the diner, and you'd at least let me get to third base."

A deep growl bubbled up inside Luke, and it was all he could do not to take her right then and there. Removing Lorelai's hands from him, Luke wordlessly entwined his fingers with hers, leading her hurriedly back to the equipment shack and finally to the Jeep. Once they were settled in the jeep, he turned back to her and planted a passionate kiss on her lips. "I think I'd rather go for the home run, if that's all right with you." Pressing his foot to the gas, they sped off out of the parking lot.

A squeal of delight escaped Lorelai's lips as she threw her head back against the seat, "Woohoo! Who knew sports could be so fun!"


	15. Chapter 15: Changes, Changes, Changes

**Chapter 31: Changes, Changes, Changes**

The following week, Lorelai was swamped. After sneaking a quick visit to Sookie, she hurriedly grabbed a muffin and some coffee to help tie her over until lunch. As she exited the kitchen, Lorelai ran into Mia in the lobby.

"Hello, Lorelai! I'm glad I caught you. If you don't mind, I'd like you to come by my office in an hour or so. I want to talk to you about something."

A small and unsure smile spread across Lorelai's face as she responded, "Uh, sure. You're the boss."

"Don't worry; it's nothing bad. I just wanted to get your input on something."

"Okay… yeah. I'll be there."

Despite Mia's reassurance, Lorelai was confused for the rest of her shift. A little over an hour later, she cautiously stepped into Mia's office while knocking on the doorframe. Much to her liking, she was met with a bright smile from Mia.

"Oh, good. You're here."

"So…" Lorelai spoke hesitantly, "What did you want to talk to me about."

Standing up from behind her desk, Mia rounded the corner, and joined Lorelai in the chair next to her. Taking Lorelai's hands in hers, Mia began to speak confidently. "Well… you know as well as I do that these interviews I've been doing haven't been successful, so I've got to thinking. Lorelai, amidst all of this, you have done an outstanding job, so I wanted to let you know that the position as front desk manager is available to you if you want it, and I am hoping that you will take it."

A look of complete shock completely took over Lorelai's face and her voice. "Oh my gosh, Mia… Are you serious? Have you been talking to Luke?"

"Lucas," Mia questioned with a slight chuckle at her reaction, "No. I haven't. Why do you ask?"

"Well, when we were out on Friday, he mentioned something about me asking you for an interview, but I wasn't sure if I was qualified."

"Lorelai, I know you may not have the resume of a normal desk manger, but you and I both know that you know the workings of this place inside and out. Lucas was right. I have no doubt you'll do nothing short of great at this."

"I'll definitely take the job, since you're offering," Lorelai said happily with tears beginning to pool in her eyes, "I really don't know how to thank you." As much as she tried to stop it, a few tears escaped her eyes. Wiping them away, she continued,  
"I'm sorry… I don't mean to be so emotional. I'm just so excited."

"It's something to be excited about," Mia spoke kindly, "For the record, it will be different hours, but you will have weekends off, a raise in pay, and you'll receive a bonus. I will have to properly train you for a couple of weeks, though."

Realizing just how much this change in position would affect her life, Lorelai placed her face in her hands, and spoke slightly muffled, "Do you know what this means? Mia, I will finally be able to buy a house!"

"It's my pleasure. You deserve it. You've worked incredibly hard since you stared here, and I can't think of anyone worthier of the position."

Standing up, Lorelai pulled Mia in for a long hug. "Thank you so much. I don't know what I would have done without you." Taking a deep breath, she stepped back and smiled. "Do you think it would be possible for me to take my lunch break early?"

With a knowing smile, Mia questioned, "Would this have something to do with a certain diner owner."

"Possibly…"

"Oh go on, Lorelai," Mia laughed, "He'll be proud of you. We'll discuss more later."

* * *

Scrambling into the diner, Lorelai grabbed Luke's wrist and pulled him with her to the curtain, up the stairs, and into his apartment. Behind her, Luke was calling her name, but amidst her excitement, she heard nothing.

Closing the door behind them, he pulled his arm back from her grip and stared at her with a confused look on his face. "What the hell?"

Before Luke could even grasp what was happening, Lorelai launched herself into his arms and began to squeal. "I did it! I did it! I did it!"

Seeing her excitement, he couldn't keep a smile from appearing on his face. "What did you do," he chuckled.

"I got the job! Mia offered me the desk manager job _without_ an interview!"

"I told you you were perfect for it."

"I know that's what you said, but I didn't think it would ever happen! Babe, not only did I just get a _huge_ promotion, but I also finally have enough money to get a down payment for a house! I get a bonus with the promotion, and with what I've already saved, I have enough!"

Unable to hide his pride in her, Luke hugged Lorelai tightly to him and beamed, "Lorelai, that's amazing!"

"I know! I mean, I love the potting shed. It has been a great house for Rory and me, but I can finally have a home… I can give my little girl a real home," Lorelai exclaimed, choking out the end of her sentence, as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Dropping a soft kiss to the top of her forehead, Luke spoke tenderly, "I am so proud of you. I knew you could do it. You've come to Stars Hollow and made an amazing life for you and Rory, and your hard work is finally paying off."

"Do you think I can handle it," Lorelai questioned softly, leaning into his chest.

"I already told you that you could handle it."

"When?"

"When we discussed it Friday… Lorelai, you'll do fine. I know you will."

"Thanks…I'm just so happy," she whispered softly. Looking up, she brought Luke's lips to hers in a sweet kiss. When they finally broke apart, Lorelai asked calmly, "Will you come house hunting with us this weekend?"

"Are you sure you don't want it to be just you and Rory?"

Shaking her head vehemently, she answered, "No. Absolutely not. I want you there. Plus, you know a lot more than I do about whether things need repairs and other home stuff."

"Well then, yeah… I wouldn't miss it."

As if by some unspoken agreement, they remained in embraced for a while. There was no talking, no kissing, and no joking. It was as if something was exhilarating and intimate about holding each other's gaze in this happy moment.

After a few minutes, Luke broke the silence with a light kiss and sighed. "As much as I like having you here right now, I've got to get back downstairs."

Poking her bottom lip out, Lorelai pouted and responded sadly, "I know."

"I'm sorry," he replied, tucking a stray curl behind her ear, "But why don't you and Rory come by tonight after you get off, and we'll celebrate."

"Don't you have to close?"

"I'm supposed to close, but I can make time for you."

"Are you sure," she questioned, "I don't want you to have to close early or anything… We can celebrate later."

"I'm sure. This is huge news, and I want to treat you and Rory."

"Okay, we'll meet you here."

As Luke turned to walk away, Lorelai snagged him by the belt loop and pulled him back for a long, passionate kiss. When they finally broke, Luke asked breathlessly, "What was that for?"

"Just for being you," Lorelai answered, smiling back at him adoringly.

"Well, let me return the favor."

After pulling her in for another long one, he pulled back and sighed with a slight grin, "That never gets old."

"And I don't think it ever will… I'll see you later babe."

* * *

Around 6 o'clock, Rory burst through the diner door with Lorelai trailing behind. "Daddy Luke! Did you hear the news," she asked excitedly, running behind the counter and throwing herself at Luke the same way her mother did earlier, "Mommy got a new job, and we are gonna get a house! A real house!"

"I heard, Rory! That's great news!"

"That means I'll have more room for my books! Will you build me more shelves?"

Hearing Rory's excited speech, Lorelai laughed. "Woah, hold on there, hon. We actually need to get the house before we can put him to work."

"Oh yeah, sorry."

"It's okay," Luke reassured. Patting her on the back, he allowed Rory back around to the front of the counter. "If there isn't enough room for your book collection in the house then I will definitely build some for you."

With a bright smile, she answered happily, "Thanks Daddy Luke!"

Clapping his hands together, Luke made his way around the counter. "So, are you guys ready to go?"

A look of confusion took over Lorelai's face. "Go? Where are we going? I thought we were going to eat here…"

"I thought we'd go somewhere a little different, if that's alright with you."

"Okay, and are you going to tell me where we're going?"

A slight grin grew on his face as he lifted Rory into the cab, "You'll find out when we get there."

A few minutes into the ride, Lorelai finally realized where they were headed. "Luke," she began cautiously, happiness tinging her voice, "Are we going to where I think we're going? Are we going to Sniffy's?"

"And if we were, what would you think?"

"I'd be excited! I haven't seen Buddy and Maisy in a while… and you know, I'm pretty fond of the place, myself."

Before Luke could respond, their conversation was broken by a curious Rory. "Sniffy's? Mommy, what's that?"

"Well, Sniffy's is a restaurant owned by some of Luke's friends. I've been before, and I really think you're gonna like it."

* * *

When they arrived at the restaurant, the trio walked in, Rory in the middle, holding each of their hands. Guided by Luke, they made their way to the back of the restaurant to his normal reserved booth.

"Lucas! It's good to see you son," Maisy exclaimed approaching the table and bringing him in for a hug. Turning to Lorelai, she added, "And Lorelai, it's even better to see you again! Who's this little one we've got here?"

By this point, Rory had moved slightly behind Lorelai's leg. "Well, this is my daughter, Rory,"

Seeing Rory's shyness, Maisy bent down and extended her hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Rory. I'm Maisy."

Taking her hand, Rory hesitantly responded, "Hi… So you are Daddy Luke's friend?"

"Daddy Luke, huh?" Casting her glace to Luke, Maisy saw his blushed face and a small grin. Turning back to Rory, she continued, "Yep, I sure am."

"This is a cool restaurant. It's a lot bigger than the diner."

"That it is." Turning to Luke, Maisy patted him on the shoulder. "Lucas, what do you say to taking the little one here back to the kitchen to show her around and meet Buddy?"

"Really? The kitchen? Can we do that, Daddy Luke?!"

With a small chuckle at the Rory's excitement, Luke took her small hand in his. "Sure, come on… Lorelai, you good here?"

At her nod, he left, leaving her and Maisy at the booth alone.

"Thank you so much, Maisy. You didn't have to do that."

"It's my pleasure," the older woman said with a genuine smile, "Plus that gives us some time to gossip without little ears listening or Lucas blushing."

A small laugh escaped Lorelai's lips. "He does get embarrassed a lot… Although I usually try to embarrass him on purpose."

"He makes it to easy… So, how is my boy treating you?"

"He's amazing," Lorelai answered in a slightly cheerier voice than she expected, "To both me and Rory. I'm sure you don't expect anything less, though."

"Of course! I assumed he treats you both right, but I wanted to make sure. It's nothing a swift kick in the rear wouldn't fix if he wasn't," Maisy added with a laugh. "I see he has taken to your daughter."

"Oh yes, and she to him. Luke is wrapped so far around Rory's finger… You wouldn't believe the things she can get him to do."

"He gets it honest. William was the same way with Lizzie. So much so that Luke took notice, and he swore that he would never act that way if he had a daughter."

"So much for that," Lorelai smiled, "For someone who claimed that he hated kids, he really is good with her."

"Oh please, you and I both know that he just acts tough."

"Tell me about it… He's a softie and a big sap. He can act all gruff and grumbly around the town, but he's definitely not."

"Well, just to let you know, from what I've seen since you kids started dating, Lucas is happy."

At that, Lorelai couldn't help but allow a smile tug at her lips. "I sure hope so."

"He is… and let me tell you, Buddy and I are too. You are a thousand times better than that Rachel broad."

"Maisy," Lorelai gasped and laughed, "You are so bad!"

"Well, I just call it like I see it. She was always running in and out of here, "rootless" as she called it, and stomped all over Lucas's heart in the process. I don't see you doing that."

Saddened to think that Luke ever had to go through something like that, Lorelai answered confidently, "Trust me. I don't plan on it… He's a good guy. The best, actually." At her words, she began blushing slightly as the thoughts of how great Luke was ran through her mind.

Noticing the look on Lorelai's face, Maisy squeezed her hand and responded, "Well… I see you're nothing short of smitten."

"You have no idea."

Hearing little footsteps approaching, Lorelai looked over to see Luke and Rory returning to the table.

"I hate to break up the gossip mill, but Buddy called for you," Luke spoke with a grin, "Apparently he can't decide our entrees for tonight without you."

Rolling her eyes jokingly, Maisy rose from the table and turned to Lorelai, "Men, right?"

"Don't I know it," Lorelai chuckled. "It was nice talking to you."

Once Maisy left the table, Luke and Rory joined Lorelai in the booth. Before Rory could get settled, she was pulled by her mother into her lap. "So, hon, did you enjoy your tour?"

"Yeah! The kitchen was really big! Did you know that Daddy Luke used to work here?"

"I did… Did you meet Buddy while you were back there?"

"Yep! Buddy was super funny."

Appearing at the table, Bubby and Maisy began to set down appetizers and champagne, along with a flute of apple juice for Rory. "You bet I'm funny," Buddy chuckled while sitting everything down on the table, obviously having heard the end of their conversation. "So, Lucas tells me we're celebrating a new job and a new home… Congratulations, Lorelai!"

"Thank you, Buddy. This is quite the spread we've got going on, and thanks for the apple juice for the little one here… She doesn't like being left out."

"Yeah," Rory added cheerily, "Thanks! Are you gonna eat with us?"

"We'd love too, hon," Maisy smiled and replied, "But right now it's a little busy in here. Maybe once things slow down a bit, Buddy and I will come back and tell you some funny stories from Lucas's childhood."

This comment was met with a groan from Luke and a laugh from Lorelai. Quickly, Lorelai added, "I'd love it… I imagine little Lucas was quite the handful."

"Didn't I tell you not to call me Lucas," Luke grumbled.

"Among a few other names… I think you did. But when do I ever listen?"

"Lorelai," Luke answered in a warning tone.

"Well, they're doing it, so I thought I'd just follow suit."

"Well, they've also been calling me that since I was running around in diapers. There's not much I can do to change it… You on the other hand have not seen me in diapers, so you have no reason to."

Reaching over to cover Rory's ears to prevent her from hearing her next comment, Lorelai countered, "I've seen you in _less_ than diapers… does that count?"

"Lorelai!" A bright blush tinged Luke's cheek as he scolded her.

A once silent Buddy and Maisy both began laughing, unable to resist, "Boy Lucas," Buddy added, "She sure knows how to rile you up."

"You have no idea…"

* * *

Soon after Buddy and Maisy left the table, Luke, Lorelai, and Rory chatted lightheartedly through dinner. Much to Rory's delight, the older couple was able to come back and join them for a little while, allowing their restaurant staff to take over.

On the way to Stars Hollow, Rory fell asleep while Lorelai sat staring out the window, taking in all that happened in they day. Out of nowhere, her reverie was broken by Luke's voice.

Clearing his throat, he spoke quietly, trying not to disturb Rory. "So, what did you and Maisy talk about while we were gone."

With a smirk, Lorelai couldn't help but tease. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"It was all good things, I hope."

Reaching over Rory in the middle, Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand and laced her fingers through his. "Don't worry. If we had talked much longer, we probably would have started the "We Love Lucas" fan club."

With his trademark eye roll, Luke laughed, "Great."

The cab went silent for a few seconds. Looking over quickly, Luke could tell by the look on Lorelai's face that she wanted to talk about something. Soon, he was proven right when she began to speak again.

"You know, I was thinking."

"Uh oh, that's never good," Luke joked.

"Hey," Lorelai scoffed, squeezing his hand playfully, "I'm being serious here… I was thinking that once I get a house and get Rory settled and everything, we should have Maisy and Buddy over for dinner. Maybe I could invite Mia over too."

"And what made you think of this?"

"I don't know… I have dinner with my parents coming up eventually…"

Before she could finish, Luke stopped her. "So you decided we'd have dinner with your parents when they get back, then?"

Looking down with slight embarrassment, Lorelai spoke. "Uh, yeah. Did I not tell you that? I think we should… Dad seemed to really want us to come, so I guess we can try it again." Shaking her head, wanting to be clear of discussing more about her parents, Lorelai continued more confidently, "Anyway, since we will be having dinner with my family, I thought it might be cool to have dinner with yours… Well, they're technically not your family, but you know what I mean."

As it became obvious that she was about to start rambling, Luke lifted their intertwined hands to his lips, placing a kiss on the back of her hand. "I do know what you mean, and I think they'd love it, but we can discuss details later… We're here. Do you want me to get her?"

"If you want."

Pulling a sleeping Rory from the seat, Luke settled her into his arms. Walking into the shed, he laid her on the bed and Lorelai tucked her in as Luke walked to the door. Meeting him there a few seconds later, Lorelai draped her arms loosely around Luke's shoulders, running the fingers of one of her hands through the curls at the nape of his neck. "So…" she spoke calmly, "Thanks for dinner. We would have been fine just eating at the diner."

Luke responded by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "I thought you might like something else for a change… Plus, this way, I didn't have to cook for once."

"As, so this was all for personal gain then," Lorelai laughed.

"Of course. It had nothing to do with showing you how proud I am of you."

Leaning up on her toes, Lorelai placed a light kiss on his lips. "But really, thank you."

"No problem." Loosening his grip a little, Luke looked down at her. "I should probably go so you can get to bed. You've got a big day tomorrow."

"I know… I've got a full week of training ahead of me." Running one hand down his chest, she spoke softly, "Are you really sure that I can do this."

"I already told you you could do this… and I already told you that I already told you you could do this."

"And you're absolutely positively certain that you're sure?"

"Lorelai," Luke laughed.

"I know… I'm being insane." Planting a kiss to his cotton clad chest she continued, "Drive back safely, okay. I kinda like my diner guy."

"I guess I like my coffee addict too… I'll see you in the morning before work?"

"Well, you are my dealer, so…."

With a slight grin, Luke placed one last kiss on her lips. "Good night, Lorelai."

"Good night, Luke."

Closing the door as he left, Lorelai shuffled to get ready for bed. Taking a look around the shed, she realized just how much her life was about to change… for the better.


	16. Chapter 16: This is the One

**A/N: Hello everyone! I'm back! I am so sorry for how long it took me to post this chapter! Last week, I was on a family vacation, and this week I started college, so life has been a little busy! Fear not, though! I will not leave you hanging! No shade to anyone, but, to me, there are too many unfinished FFs on this site, and I do not plan to have one of them! I will continue to work on this story, no matter how long it takes me! Anyway, this is my new chapter, and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 32: This is the One**

The sun was barely over the horizon before Saturday, otherwise known as house hunting day, began in the Gilmore "household".

"Mommy get up," Rory exclaimed cheerily as she jumped on a sleeping Lorelai.

Reaching for Rory, still half asleep, Lorelai questioned, "Mmmm… what's the matter?"

"It's time to get ready to go look at houses! Come on! Come on! Come on!" Hopping over the edge of the bed, Rory began pacing the floor, waiting for her mother to join her.

Sleepily grabbing the alarm clock, Lorelai barely made out the numbers "6:30." "Rory, "It's 6:30… 6:30 on a Saturday morning. We aren't supposed to go look at houses until 9."

"We have to get a head start! Please get up, Mommy!"

Finally sitting up, Lorelai looked at her excited daughter. "Rory… my heart… my love. It is Saturday. We do not get up early on Saturdays. Saturday is the day of rest."

Cocking her head to the side, Rory questioned, "Isn't that Sunday?"

"Ughhh, why are you so smart… Fine, Saturday is the day of pre-rest. We still have plenty of time to sleep. Get back in bed."

"But I'm not tired. I'm too excited! Up please!"

Reaching out for her, Lorelai pulled Rory to her. Placing her on the other side of the bed, Lorelai spoke softly, "Then be excited in bed. You can lay next to Mommy and think of _all_ that you want in the house, but let me sleep just a little longer."

"Okay… but do you want your room to be yellow, or white, or pick, or gray, or…"

Cutting her off, she answered, "Shhhh. Rory, you pick whatever color you want. I'll love anything you choose. Just please, please, let me enjoy a little more sleep." Pulling her close, Rory's head ended up resting on Lorelai's shoulder where she immediately snuggled into her. Lorelai fell quickly back to sleep, but wide-eyed Rory continued to dream of every possibility for their new home.

* * *

Later that morning, Lorelai walked tiredly into the diner, with an eager Rory in tow.

"Come on, Mommy! We need to hurry up and eat!"

"Easy there, hon," Lorelai answered, as she sat down in a chair slowly. Groaning and dropping her head tiredly to the table, she continued, "I can't believe I scheduled to meet a realtor at 9 am. What possessed me to do that?"

"If you wouldn't mind removing your head from my table, that would be great," Luke started as he approached the table, "It's unsanitary."

"Well, aren't you just Mr. Rainbows and Sunshine this morning."

"Says the woman who groaned and complained loud enough for the other side of town to hear…What can I get for ya? We have 45 minutes until we need to leave, so don't take too long to decide."

"Daddy Luke," Rory spoke up, "Can I have some chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream and chocolate milk?"

"How about I make the chocolate chip pancakes without whipped cream and you drink water, instead?"

Lifting her head from the table with a frown, Lorelai watched her boyfriend try to negotiate with her daughter.

"What about the pancakes without whipped cream but with apple juice. Water is gross. It doesn't taste like anything," Rory retorted, extending her hand.

Taking her hand and shaking on the deal, Luke answered with a grin, "I think you've got a deal, kid." Turning to Lorelai, he noticed the frown on her face. "Careful… People say your face will get stuck like that if it stays that way long enough."

"Who said you could negotiate your healthiness into my kid's diet?"

"Well, someone's got to do it if she wants a fighting chance in life. Now what about you? I've got plenty of apple juice to offer to you too."

"You know better than to even imply that," she answered with a glare. Dropping her head back to the table, she continued, "I'm too tired to think since little miss priss over here decided to wake me up at the crack of dawn, and I couldn't get back to sleep for long. Just bring me whatever you want, but make sure it includes coffee."

After placing their order and tending to other customers, Luke returned to the table, placing Rory's breakfast in front of her and a bowl of shredded wheat in front of Lorelai.

With a horrified look on her face, Lorelai exclaimed, "What on God's green earth is that?"

Feigning innocence, Luke answered calmly, "You said to bring whatever I want, so I brought you some shredded wheat."

"Luke," she whined in response, "I meant bring me whatever you want within the realm of what I usually want! I can't eat this!"

"But it's strawberry… It's still sweet."

"And if you ever want me to be sweet again, you'll bring me something else," Lorelai answered with a huff.

With a chuckle escaping his lips, Luke turned back to the kitchen and walked over to the order window. Grabbing another stack of pancakes with bacon and sausage, he placed the new meal in front of her. "Is this better? This is what I actually had made for you."

Scowling, she spoke annoyed, "That was cruel."

"But so worth it," Luke smiled, placing a quick kiss to her forehead, "Now hurry up and eat so we can get going."

* * *

"So, what did you think?"

"I don't know," Lorelai answered unconvincingly as she walked arm in arm with Luke down the porch of house number four. "It's nice, I guess… but…"

"But it's not the one?"

Nodding her head against his shoulder, she responded sadly, "Yeah, it's not the one."

"What about you, Rory?"

Stopping in front of them, Rory retained the same slumped posture as her mother. "It was okay… but I want mommy to have her own room, and this one only had one room."

As they continued their conversation, the realtor approached, noticing the beaten looks on the faces of the girls. "So, I'm guessing this house is a no as well?"

"Yeah," Lorelai sighed, running her fingers through her hair, "I'm sorry, Ann. I know house hunting usually isn't this complicated, but I just haven't found the house that speaks to me, you know?"

"Oh, don't worry about it, Lorelai," she reassured with a smile, "If we don't find one today, we can look at a more properties some other time. I do have one more house to show you today, thought. It's just off Maple on the other side of town."

Packing up into the truck, all of its riders hoped and prayed that this next house would work. As they pulled up to the house and walked up the drive, Lorelai took Luke's hand and squeezed it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a wide grin on both of the Gilmore faces.

Walking up to them, Ann immediately noticed the change in demeanor. "Is this one a contender, then?"

Turning to her happily, Lorelai answered excitedly, "This one looks really great! I hope the inside looks as good as the outside!" Looking to her side, Lorelai bent down to Rory. "And what do you think, hon?"

"This looks perfect! It looks almost like what I dreamed this morning!"

"Well this sounds like it may work," Ann agreed. Unlocking the door, she continued, "Why don't you guys take a look inside, and I'll be in in a few."

Standing in the foyer, Rory let out an excited gasp. "Mommy, can I look around all by myself?"

"Sure. Just holler at us if you need anything." Patting Rory on her back, Lorelai sent her on her way. Meanwhile, she reached behind her and grabbed Luke's hand, pulling him into the living room with her. "Ooh! Look, Luke! Hardwoods." Turning around quickly, she questioned, "Do you think they are okay, or do they need repairing?"

Bending down and running his hand along the boards, he examined the old wood. "They don't look to be in that bad of shape. I could always strip, re-stain, and seal them, if you wanted me to, but they honestly are fine as they are."

Unexpectedly, a giggle escaped Lorelai's lips. Looking up at her with confusion written on his face, Luke asked curiously, "What?"

"Strip… dirty," she answered with a grin.

Rolling his eyes, he stood up quickly. "Why do I even try," he groaned. Ushering her towards the stairs he added grumpily, "Moving on."

Finally reaching the upstairs hallway, they entered the only bedroom on the level.

"So… I'm guessing this would be my room, and the bathroom next to it is mine as well."

Looking around, Luke added a casual, "I'd say so, since the room next to this is too small to be a bedroom, and the bathroom downstairs will most likely be used by Rory."

Noticing his critical look of the room, Lorelai began chewing her lower lip and asked him carefully, "I think I like this a lot, but what's your opinion, you know, in terms of renovations and stuff?"

"Well," Luke began as he walked to the center of the room. Quickly, he started scanning every corner of the room. Satisfied with his inspection, he pointed out his findings. "The baseboards could use a new paint job, and there's a hole over there and over there that need to be fixed. You will probably have to replace the closet doors eventually… These are actually pretty minor jobs, so I don't think it's too bad."

Amazed that someone who was normally so short with words was so detailed in his quick assessment, Lorelai could only form enough thought to ask, "And you can do that?"

Shrugging, Luke answered calmly "If you want me to, yeah."

After finishing the tour of the upstairs, the couple made their way back downstairs and into the kitchen.

"I've got to say, babe, I'm loving these yellow walls!"

"Yeah, except for the holes in them," Luke responded from the doorway.

Turning to him with a concerned look, Lorelai asked quickly, "Are the holes really that bad? Could you not fix them? Is that a deal breaker?"

Sensing the really liked the house, Luke knew not to worry her over something so easily fixed, so he quickly reassured her. "No… It may take a few hours to fix all of the ones scattered around the house, but it's not bad. I have some tools and stuff left over from my Dad's store, and the rest I can get from a buddy in Woodbridge."

"You're okay to do that? This along with the upstairs and all the painting sounds like a lot of work. I don't want you to overwork yourself because of me. You're my boyfriend, not my slave… at least not in that way," she spoke, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at the end.

Shrugging, he tried to ignore her innuendo, but answered honestly. "It's not a lot of work for me, and it's better than letting someone else scam you out of money by overcharging you."

"But maybe we could find someone we know who won't charge a lot so you don't have to work so hard." Shifting her gaze to the floor, she shuffled her feet and added tentatively, "I don't want to take advantage of you."

At her hesitance, Luke walked over behind her and began running his hands up and down her shoulders. "Lorelai, do you really want this house?"

Turning in his arms, she looked up at him with the first genuine smile he had seen since they began house hunting. "Well, I have to see what Rory thinks, but I'm pretty sure this is the house I want. I mean, it's not the most extravagant, but I don't want or need extravagant. Just look at it; it's got great potential. I could really see Rory growing up here, us having movie marathons right out there, or you cooking dinner in this kitchen and me bugging you about it, you know?"

Seeing the genuine excitement in her eyes, he answered, "Alright, then I'll do the work. If you get the house, we can fix what I mentioned today, and if something else comes up after you move, we'll go from there."

"Are you sure, because I could…"

With his lips, Luke cut her off quickly before she could question further. "Lorelai, I'm sure. If this is the house, get it."

"Okay… If I get the house, I'll let you do the work, but on one condition."

"And that is?"

"The one household job I can do is paint, so when you're doing anything that requires a paint brush, you have to let me know so I can share the load."

Glad it wasn't another one of her crazy schemes, he answered with a nod, "I can do that."

Wrapping her arms around his waist, Lorelai squeezed tightly and spoke appreciatively, "Thanks, babe." Bringing his lips to hers, she gave him a sweet kiss. Before he could pull away, she took it deeper. Finally allowing him to break apart for air, she looked up at him with a mischievous smile. "And that was a preview of how I'll thank you thoroughly once you're done."

A chuckle escaped Luke's lips as he playfully swatted at her bottom. "Okay, I look forward to it… Now behave. Do you want to go talk to Rory?"

"Yeah, come on… I think she's in there."

Walking into the large bedroom just off the kitchen, they found Rory standing in the middle of the room in a trance. The silence of the room was broken as Lorelai broke Rory's daydream, asking, "So sweets, what do you think?"

Turning around to see them, Rory threw her arms out and exclaimed, "It's the best house ever!"

"So you like it, then? This is the one we like?"

"I think it's perfect! This room is so big." Turning to Luke, Rory walked over to him, and continued hopefully, "Do you think there's room for book shelves?"

Both adults laughed at the inclusion of another task. "I think so, Rory… Just tell me where you want them, and I'll add them to my to-do list."

Hugging his leg tightly, Rory gave Luke a bright smile. "Thanks, Daddy Luke!"

A few moments later, Ann reappeared in the room. Taking in the happiness in the room, she grinned, "So, is this a yes then? Do you want to put an offer in on this house?"

Taking one of Rory's and one of Luke's hands in hers, Lorelai answered happily, "Definitely."

"Alright! I'll go back to my office and have the papers drawn up, and we will go from there."

* * *

Two weeks later, the day Lorelai had been waiting years for finally arrived. Reaching the inn at 8 am sharp, Luke knocked on the door of the shed and was met with a way too awake Lorelai.

"Good morning babe," she spoke happily taking the to-go cup of coffee from his hand. Leaning in for a quick kiss, she pulled back with a smile. "Are you ready to be a knight and shining armor and help your damsels move to their new castle?"

Looking at her curiously, Luke took in her enthusiastic demeanor. "Don't get me wrong… I like seeing you awake before noon, but isn't it a little early for you to be _this_ awake?"

Not taking the time to respond, Lorelai grabbed his arm and pulled him through the doorway and into the living room. Finally reaching the small pile of boxes in the middle of the room she turned to him and gestured widely. "It's moving day, and I'm actually done packing! How could I not be excited and ready to go?"

"I get the excitement… but are you sure _none_ of this morning happiness has to do with a certain caffeinated beverage that I said _I_ would supply?"

"Wellllll," she drew out the word teasingly. "Sookie may or may not have given me a cup of coffee."

"So along with the one I just gave you, you've only had two," he questioned, eyeing her curiously.

"Yep! I've only had two cups of coffee this morning!" Whispering just loud enough for him to hear, Lorelai added quietly, "But I also had two mugs full… not cups."

"Sometimes I don't even understand how you're still alive," Luke grumbled in response. Taking in the look of the shed, he quickly realized one thing was missing. "I know you don't have a lot of stiff to take from here, but don't you think you're forgetting one important thing?"

Looking around, Lorelai saw everything that was her's and Rory's already packed up. Turning back to him with a curious look, she questioned, "Uh… no. Why?"

"So a certain five year old about yea big, with bright blue eyes and her mother's pout isn't supposed to be here?"

"Oh… no. She will be thought. Even though I still have the job here, Rory says that since she won't be living on site anymore, she has to say an official goodbye to everyone. Mia is helping her make the rounds… Uh, speaking of Rory, can I talk to you about something?"

"Yeah, okay," he answered hesitantly, not sure as to where the conversation was headed, "What's up?"

Suddenly shy, Lorelai began picking at a stray string on her shirt. "So, uh, while Rory and I were packing last night, she mentioned something that I think we need to talk about."

"Okay…" Still perplexed by her vague statements, he continued, "And what is that thing?"

"Um, you know how you are one of Rory's favorite people in the world? Well, of course you do, but anyway, since you are, she spends a lot of time talking about you, and last night was no different. Rory, being Rory, started talking about you fixing the house up and all that stuff, and she naturally came to the conclusion that you were spending a lot of time at a house that wasn't yours… So then she proceeded to get around to the wild idea that since you were spending so much time getting the house ready, that you must be getting it the way you want it because you are… moving in… with us," Lorelai faltered off, completing her rambling.

Seeing his slightly wide-eyed look, she continued quickly, "Now, don't worry. I told her that it was, in fact, just you and me moving in to the house, but then she asked me if you would be spending the night sometimes since we have more space because that is what "a girl she played with at the inn" says couples do…. And when she said that, I realized that we hadn't talked about it and that we probably should."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the slight cliff hanger! This chapter grew to be sooooo long that I had to split it into two, and this was the best place to do it! Now I'll just let all of you wonder how Luke is going to take this discussion... :)**


	17. Chapter 17: Not A Mistake

**Chapter 33: Not a Mistake**

 _Previous Chapter:_

" _Um, you know how you are one of Rory's favorite people in the world? Well, of course you do, but anyway, since you are, she spends a lot of time talking about you, and last night was no different. Rory, being Rory, started talking about you fixing the house up and all that stuff, and she naturally came to the conclusion that you were spending a lot of time at a house that wasn't yours… So then she proceeded to get around to the wild idea that since you were spending so much time getting the house ready, that you must be getting it the way you want it because you are… moving in… with us," Lorelai faltered off, completing her rambling. Seeing his slightly wide-eyed look, she continued quickly, "Now, don't worry. I told her that it was, in fact, just you and me moving in to the house, but then she asked me if you would be spending the night sometimes since we have more space because that is what "Jessica at school" says couples do…. And when she said that, I realized that we hadn't talked about it and that we probably should."_

* * *

Processing all of what she said, Luke replied slowly. "O-kay…"

Taking his hands in hers, Lorelai pulled him to sit down on the couch. "So… what are you thinking?"

Before he could answer, the door was thrown open and Rory ran in. "Good morning Daddy Luke! It's moving day!"

"Yeah it is, Rory," he answered automatically, not taking his eyes off of Lorelai. Shaking his head to clear it, he stood up, plastering on a feign look of happiness. "Are you ready to get moving?"

"Yeah! Are you ready, Mommy?"

Still seeing the fear hidden behind Luke's smile towards Rory, Lorelai took note to bring the conversation topic back up soon. Putting on the same fake smile as her boyfriend, Lorelai answered quickly, "I sure am, sweets!" Turning to the small stack of boxes and furniture, she clapped her hands together. "Alright, Burger Boy, let's get this show on the road!"

* * *

Standing in the fully done living room at the house, Lorelai leaned back against Luke's chest, taking it all in. With Rory working in her room to organize her books, Lorelai was left time to reflect. "This is it… It's finally my home. I have a fully furnished, fully functional home."

Placing a light kiss on her temple, Luke responded softly, "You deserve it. The place looks great."

Scanning the room, she clearly saw all the work he had put into it. "And it looks this good because of you," she answered in the same tone. Hearing and feeling him yawn, Lorelai turned into his arms, placed a hand on his chest, and smiled. "You've had a long day being my servant. Why don't you head home and sleep? You can see if Rory will need more book shelves tomorrow, and we'll go from there."

"I'm fine," he reassured, squeezing her waist lightly, "I might as well find out while I'm already here."

"Luke, it's fine. There's nothing that has to be done with now, so you need to go home and rest. I know you have an early day tomorrow."

Stretching his arms, Luke groaned as he felt his body loosen. "You're right…" Turning around to make sure that there wasn't something important left undone, he scanned the room. Satisfied with what he saw, he added, "Okay… just let me say goodbye to Rory."

Quickly grabbing his arm, Lorelai stopped him from leaving the room and yelled, "Rory, come say goodbye to Daddy Luke!" Smiling, she turned to him and whispered, "I really love having so much space that I am forced to yell to call her."

The scampering of tiny feet was heard, as Rory yelled in response, "I'm coming! Don't leave yet!" Once she finally reached Luke, he picked her up and she laid her head on his shoulder. "Good night Daddy Luke. Thank you for helping me and mommy move."

"No problem, princess," he answered with a smile, planting a kiss on her forehead and putting her down. "Have a good rest of the night with your mom."

Patting Rory on the back, Lorelai directed, "Alright hon, go get your pajamas on, and I'll be back inside in a few minutes. I'm gonna walk him out."

As they made their way to the truck, Lorelai planted a kiss on his cheek then leaned on Luke's shoulder. "You know, Rory said it best… thanks for helping today, and with everything."

Putting his arm around her, bringing his body into contact with hers, he smiled. "No problem."

Deciding to take the plunge and bring back the conversation from earlier in the day, Lorelai started slowly, "So… um… we never got to finish our conversation from earlier."

Trying to hide his fear, Luke tensed slightly and added a rough, "Uh, yeah…"

Feeling his movement, she lifted her eyes to meet his. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just had a cold chill…"

With a knowing look in her eyes, Lorelai pressed on, "I know this isn't the closest contact we've ever had, but over half of my body is pretty close to yours at the moment, so I know for a fact that it wasn't a cold chill. What's wrong?"

Sighing, Luke shot his gaze to the truck to avoid her look. "Lorelai, nothing is wrong. I just don't know what to say," he responded a bit more sternly than either of them would have liked.

"Luke, look at me," she pled, with a slight commanding tone in her voice.

"Lorelai…"

"Fine." Stepping in front of him, she stared him in the eye. "I'll just stare at you then."

"Lorelai, stop."

"Ughhh," she groaned, removing herself from his arms, "No, Luke…You've clearly got something going on in your head that you won't tell me about! Your whole "stone cold attitude" conveniently started when I mentioned discussing an important step in our relationship, so I know that it probably has something to do with that. Since I am one of two people in said relationship, I want to know what you're thinking about… so either you quite trying to give me the silent treatment when I'm just trying to help, or this will turn into a big mess. It's your choice."

Taking hold of her arm to stop her pacing, Luke spoke intensely, "I'm fine. You can just go inside and enjoy the night with Rory, and we can talk about this later."

Stepping closer to him, she pushed his hand away from her and looked him dead in the eye. "No… I know you. Instead of talking about things, sometimes you like to sit and stew and get into your own head… I need you to talk to me!"

"I don't get into my own head! I just need time to process things," Luke responded, his voice going a little louder.

"What the hell is there to process," Lorelai shot back, meeting his volume, "I didn't say, "Hey babe, why don't you abandon your hermit home _right now_ and move in so I can force you to make me food and make love every night!" I just said I wanted to _talk_ about the future… _our_ future! If there's something to process, then we can do it together!"

"I know, Lorelai! But sometimes I need to think about things on my own!"

"And I would get that if it was something that you had to deal with on your own, but this is about both of us! I need to hear your thoughts, and you need to hear mine! We don't need to settle everything tonight, but I thought it might be nice to discuss it!"

Throwing his hands out to the side, Luke groaned loudly. "I know, but I need time to think before I can discuss it! Newsflash, not everyone can jump blindly into things like you can," he spat. "Some of us have to think things through before we make decisions so we don't end up making life altering mistakes!"

Lorelai visibly shuddered at sound of his words. Taking a deep breath, the fire appeared in her eyes as she shouted, "Life altering mistakes? What life altering mistakes of mine are you referring to? If you are insinuating that Rory's a mistake, let me tell you, you can march your ass to that truck, drive to the diner, and never come back!"

Realizing how his words may have sounded to her, Luke immediately calmed. Taking a step towards her and reaching for her, he stuttered, "Lorelai… I didn't… I didn't mean it like that."

Ignoring his plea, she stepped back, avoiding his touch. With a voice mixed with sadness and anger, Lorelai responded. "Why the hell did you have to say that, Luke? Life altering mistake? I can't… I just can't deal with this right now." Turning her back to him, she added quietly, "You can leave."

"I can't go. Not in the middle of an argument."

Keeping her back to him, Lorelai did her best to prevent him from seeing the tears in her eyes. "Luke, if I hash this out with you right now, I may do something or say something I don't want to. Just leave. I'll talk to you later." Without giving him a chance to answer, she began walking towards the house.

"Lorelai…" Luke called weakly. Wanting to follow, but knowing what might happen if he did, he stayed still. Hesitantly, he made a move to leave, hoping the slip of his tongue didn't cost him everything.

In the living room, tears ran down Lorelai's cheeks as she walked up the stairs to her room, her head spinning as she tried to understand how things ended up so wrong.

* * *

For the following two days, Lorelai didn't show up to the diner, leaving Luke to wonder where they stood. Meanwhile, at the inn, all things seemed right, but Sookie began to notice otherwise.

To her, Lorelai seemed happy when dealing with customers, but she could see the look on her face turn grim as soon as a guest would turn away. Walking up to the desk, Sookie placed a hand on Lorelai's shoulder. "Honey, is everything alright?"

Startling her out of her trance, she stuttered in reply, "Huh… oh, uh, yeah… Everything is fine."

With a pointed look, Sookie pressed on. "Really? Because it seems to me that you are moping."

Worried it might be affecting her job, Lorelai began to speak quickly, "Crap…. Is it that noticeable? Am I doing a bad job? Has anyone complained?"

"No, Lorelai. You're not. In fact, if I didn't know you so well, I never would have noticed."

"Okay, good."

Turning back to the reservation calendar, Lorelai tried to resume work, but was stopped by Sookie placing her hand over the cover. "But you are moping," she questioned.

"Sook… I," she began but faltered off. Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she continued with a sigh. "I guess you could say that I am, but I'm fine."

"I know. You always are… But why don't we talk anyway?"

"I don't know…" Lorelai spoke hesitantly, trying to think of an excuse to prevent herself from breaking down at work. "I can't take my lunch for another few hours, and I don't have anyone to cover the desk."

"Oh please." Grabbing Lorelai's arm, Sookie pulled her back to the kitchen and into the storeroom. "Wait here. I'm gonna go tell Mia I need you to back here, and I'll be back in a minute."

Shaking her head in defiance, Lorelai pled, "I don't want to burden you with this. I'm a big girl, and I can handle my own problems."

"I'm very aware, but I don't really care." Guiding her over to a stool, Sookie commanded, "Stay," and took off out the door.

Looking around the empty storeroom, Lorelai slowly took a seat. Despite being able to push the thoughts of her and Luke's fight out of her head while she was working, in the quiet, the thoughts came rushing back and brought tears with them.

Reentering the storeroom and seeing Lorelai's tear-filled eyes, Sookie rushed to her side. "Oh, Lorelai… What happened?"

Wiping the tears from her face, she spoke sadly, "I had a thing with Luke the other night… No. I had a _fight_ with Luke the other night. I may as well call it like it is."

"Okay… and what was the fight about?"

Despite her attempt to prevent them, more tears came. Putting her hands in her face, Lorelai spoke a muffled reply. "He called Rory a mistake."

Caught off guard, Sookie yelled "He did what?" a little louder than expected.

Lifting her head, Lorelai quickly spoke. "Shhh, Sookie… Please don't make me say it twice." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "He said it, and I don't know what the hell I am going to do. Rory loves him, and I love him too, but a _mistake_? My baby is not a mistake, and I don't want anyone who thinks that about her to be around her! Where do we even go from here?"

Leaning back against one of the shelves, Sookie crossed her arms and sighed. "I have to say… I didn't expect that at all."

"I know," Lorelai whispered, suddenly feeling very exhausted, "Do you remember the last time someone said that to me?"

Taking a second to remember, Sookie finally looked up with a grim face. "It was Christopher… right out there in the lobby."

"Exactly… and I didn't think Luke would join that club… Sook, what do I do?"

Walking over to her, Sookie grabbed Lorelai's hands in hers. "Honey… I don't know. That's something for you to decide for yourself. My advice is to give yourself today to finish cooling off, and then go from there. You're not going to be able to do anything while you're upset."

"I know," Lorelai sighed. Standing up, she gave Sookie a hesitant hug. "Thanks for listening… I needed it. I'm gonna get back to work."

As soon as Lorelai left the room, Sookie walked over to the phone to make a call, hoping she wasn't overstepping her bounds.

* * *

During the after-lunch lull, the diner was silent. Piercing the quiet air, the phone range. A slight bit of hope that it was Lorelai on the other end filled Luke, but he knew it was a long shot.

"Luke's."

The female voice on the other end was not the one he expected to hear. Before he could even respond, the other person hung up. Heeding the directions of the caller, Luke walked quickly towards the back door, calling, "Ceasar, I'm out."

* * *

Walking in to the Sniffy's, Luke panted softly, catching his breath as he looked around. From the corner of the waiting area, a voice broke through his reverie. "Well hello, Lucas… you got here fast."

"Uh, yeah. Hey, Mia," Luke responded hesitantly, giving her a quick hug when she stood. "I'm guessing she wasn't okay today?"

Knowing exactly who he was talking about, Mia replied calmly, "Oh, she was fine." Noticing his sigh and the sudden slump in his shoulders, she quickly continued. "At least that's what she wanted me and Sookie to think… but we all know that she's not."

"Yeah, I know… and I'm kicking myself for being the one who caused it."

Taking him by the arm, they walked to the table, where, along the way, not a word was said. Sitting down quickly, she spoke casually. "Just to let you know, Sookie was the one that got me involved in this, not Lorelai. Normally, I don't get concerned with other people's affairs, but I figured this time could be an exception since it involved two of the most important people to me… So, do you want to tell me what's going on, or do you want me to start with what Lorelai said?"

Sighing, Luke dropped his eyes to the table in front of him. "What exactly did she tell you?"

"Nothing directly to me. I could tell you what she told Sookie, but if I'm being honest, I'd rather hear it from you."

"Right." Taking a sip of the water on the table in front of him, Luke started slowly. "I accidentally started an argument when Lorelai wanted to talk about me spending the night or moving in… And before you say anything, neither of us brought up the topic. Rory brought it up, but Lorelai wanted to discuss it, and I wasn't ready for that."

"I see…" Mia responded evenly, not giving in to saying much until he told his whole side. "Go on."

"Well, we got in an argument over whether I needed to process it myself first or whether we should talk it out together, and while defending myself, I accidentally implied that Rory was a mistake."

Shaking her head in confusion, Mia raised a hand. "Okay. How do you accidentally imply that Rory was a mistake?"

"I told her that not everyone could jump blindly into things like she could… and then I told her that some of us like to think things through before we make decisions so we don't end up making life altering mistakes."

"Lucas…"

Cutting her off, Luke raised his hands in surrender. "I know. I realize how much of a jackass I sounded like. Listening to how it sounds now, I can see how she thought I was talking about Rory, but I swear on all that I have that I did not mean it that way when I said it."

"Lucas, I know you well enough to know that you weren't talking about Rory, but you know how defensive Lorelai when it comes to that girl… I can see where she thought you were implying that. You'll have to explain it to her."

"I want to, but she won't even talk to me. We haven't spoken since it happened." Taking a second to pause, Luke sighed and continued quietly, "Gosh I wish dad was here… He'd probably have the perfect advice for something like this."

With a small laugh Mia responded, "You and I both know that Will would tell you that you were an ass and that you need to go apologize… you might have also gotten smacked upside the head."

Despite the situation, Luke couldn't help but chuckle in response. "I know." Growing solemn again, he asked the question that was plaguing his mind. "Do you think she's done with me?"

"I don't, but you have to let her think this one out… I don't know if she'd want me to tell you this, but she had a similar blow out with Christopher at the inn when Rory was just a few months old. He came out here and attempted to get her to marry him again, and when she said no, he turned on her and Rory… But his words weren't like yours. He plainly and menacingly told her that not only was Rory a mistake, but she was too."

"No…" Luke whispered, barely audible. Running his hands over his face, he continued. "Mia, I promised her that I wasn't Christopher and that I never would be… I've got to tell her. That bastard has already hurt her too many times. I don't want to do that to her too."

"I know you do, but give her some time to sort her thoughts out. You know she is stubborn, so don't push her. She'll come around soon enough. We both know that Lorelai wouldn't end things without talking to you first."

Noticing his jaw working, Mia could tell Luke was contemplating whether or not to take her advice. Reaching across the table and taking his hands in hers, Mia spoke firmly. "It may have been said in the head of the moment, but you said it, Lucas. Now you just have to wait to see what she does next."


	18. Chapter 18: Worth It

**Chapter 34: Worth It**

Two days later, Lorelai's lingering feelings over her fight with Luke had not been resolved, much to her dismay. She tried taking Sookie's advice, but every time she found herself calm, she would think about the situation and would become angrier and more upset. Now, as she sat doing paperwork in the kitchen, another problem filled her head pertaining to what she would tell Rory. For the past few days, she had refrained from going to their nightly dinners at Luke's, and she knew there was only a short amount of time until Rory would begin to question. While deep in these thoughts, the door was thrown open, bringing Lorelai out of her trance.

"Mommy, I'm here," Rory yelled, skipping into the living room.

Meeting her there, Lorelai took Rory's bag of books and placed them on the table, then took the seat next to it. "Hey, sweets! Did you have fun reading with Lane?"

"Yeah. The special book at the library today was a book for little kids, but we read it anyway."

Laughing at her daughter's response, Lorelai answered with a smirk, "I hate to break it to you, hon, but you are a little kid."

"I know, but that book was too easy for me. I finished it, and then I read some of the book grandpa got me."

"Well, at least you had fun."

Walking over and plopping herself on the couch, Rory spoke plainly, "Mommy, all that reading made me hungry. Can we go to the diner?"

Still not sure of what to say about Luke, Lorelai decided to come up with a quick dinner alternative instead. "I don't know, hon. I was wanting some of Al's Chinese food tonight."

"But, we had Al's already…"

"We did, but I think I want it again."

With a slight whine in her voice, Rory continued to press. "But we haven't seen Daddy Luke a long time! I miss him."

"I miss him too, kid, but we just can't go. We can get pizza if you don't want Al's, and if you don't want any of that, I bet Sookie come over and fix us something if you asked her nice enough."

"I don't want Sookie or Pizza," Rory cried, "I want a burger and fries from the diner!"

For some reason, all the tension that Lorelai held inside suddenly came out at once. "Rory, I said no! We can't go, so just drop it!"

Silence fell on the room, and all that was heard was Lorelai's sigh of frustration over the whole situation. Dropping the pen from her hand, she looked up from the table and saw Rory's head drooped, and her demeanor immediately softened. "Rory," she said gently.

Rory looked up enough for Lorelai to see her lip quiver and her shiny eyes. Mentally kicking herself for taking her frustrations out on her daughter, she held out her arms. "Baby, come here."

With a sniffle, Rory slid slowly off the couch and walked over to her mother. Lifting her on to her lap, Lorelai placed a kiss on Rory's cheek. "I'm sorry, hon. I didn't mean to yell. Mommy has just had a rough week."

"I just wanted to see Daddy Luke," she whimpered in response.

"I know… I know you do. How about this? You go and brush your hair while I call Mia. I bet she'll take you to see Luke."

"But I want you to come."

Putting Rory on the floor, Lorelai placed a soft hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I know, but I can't. I think I'll just stay here and finish what I'm doing, and you can go have fun at the diner.

"Mommy…"

With a sad smile, she continued, "Rory, I just can't. I'll go back with you sometime, but not tonight."

"Okay… Can I bring back pie so we can eat it together?"

Plating another kiss on Rory's cheek, Lorelai answered, "Sure, hon. Get whatever kind you want, and we'll share it."

Once Rory finally left the room, Lorelai called Mia, who hesitantly agreed to the visit to the diner. As Mia arrived at the door, Rory was still in her room getting her socks and shoes on. Stepping outside, Lorelai pulled the door to in order to talk to her.

Acting as if she didn't know anything, Mia asked, "Is there a certain reason I'm taking Rory and not you?"

Shaking her head and looking down, Lorelai avoided her eyes. "I'm not sure I really want to talk about it."

"Did something happen with Lucas?" At Lorelai's silence, Mia gave her a encouraging hug. "Okay… well, I'm here if you need me. But just so you know, if something happened, make sure you think things through, and I mean really think, before you do anything."

Glad that Mia didn't press, Lorelai smiled. "Thanks for the advice… and thanks for taking Rory." Extending her hand, she placed money in Mia's hand, despite knowing that she would give it back to her at the end of the night. "Make sure that Rory remembers to get pie… She wants a mommy-daughter pie date later."

"I will."

Just as soon as Rory walked out to the porch, Mia took her hand, and off they went.

Closing the door softly behind her, Lorelai realized that once again, she was left all by herself. Sighing, she walked up stairs to her bedroom and dropped on the bed sadly. With slight hesitation, she grabbed the phone off the night stand and dialed a familiar number.

"Luke's"

Taking a deep breath, she tried to gather up the nerve to speak.

"Hello? Is someone there," Luke spoke gruffly, hoping that it wasn't another prank call.

Speaking quietly, Lorelai said, "Hey, it's me."

She heard the faint sound of shuffling on the other end as Luke kicked Caesar out of the kitchen. "Hey… you called."

Reigning in her nerves, she answered clearly, "Yeah, uh, I need a favor."

"Lorelai, you know I'd do anything for you."

Trying not to break down, she squeezed her eyes shut. "Rory and Mia are headed there because Rory wants to see you. She misses you. Please, _please_ don't treat her any different than you normally would… she doesn't know anything, and I really don't think she needs to."

"I won't." Deciding to go out on a limb, Luke added, "And you're not coming?"

"I can't… not yet."

"Lorelai," he sighed, "If you'd just…"

"Luke don't," Lorelai answered, the plea evident in her voice, "I need more time."

"Okay…"

The line went silent, neither knowing what to say. After about a minute, Lorelai finally spoke. "Uh, well, I'm gonna go. I've got some paperwork to do for the inn. I love…" she faltered off, catching herself. Unwilling to leave the sentence unfinished, she whispered an inaudible "you".

A small grin appeared on Luke's face as he realized what she was about to say. "I love you too, Lorelai. Go do your paperwork."

As soon as he hung up, a tear slid down her cheek. Dropping her head roughly against her pillow, Lorelai groaned sadly and whispered to the room. "What am I going to do?"

Thinking back on Mia's advice to her, she decided to face what she'd been avoiding doing all week. _"I've got to figure out how to fix all of this… Even if I have to stay up all night trying to decide what to do."_

When the clock struck 3 am, with Rory snug in bed downstairs, Lorelai laid awake. After sorting through her thoughts for most of the night, she found the courage and proper mindset to do so, so she decided she could finally to make her trip to the diner.

* * *

Around 10 pm on Friday night, nearly a week after the fight, Luke was closing like normal when the bells above the door chimed. Not bothering to leave the kitchen, Luke shouted, "We're closed."

He stood listening but the doors never chimed again. Walking out into the dining room, he began gruffly, "I said…" but before he could finish, he noticed who the customer was. "Lorelai…I"

"No," she interrupted quickly, "Not down here. Upstairs, and I'm talking first."

Deciding against protesting, Luke turned quickly and headed upstairs. Lorelai slowly followed, but she eventually reached the apartment and closed the door slowly behind her.

Remembering Lorelai wanted to go first, Luke sat quietly on the couch, waiting for her to speak. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally did, but not before the tears pooled in her eyes. He wanted to do nothing more than jump off the couch, grab her, and kiss her, but he knew she wouldn't want him to, so he waited.

With an exasperated, Lorelai spoke emotionally, "Gah, Luke, I have been miserable."

"I know," he responded quietly.

"No, you don't know," Lorelai answered, her voice suddenly turning soft, "I yelled at Rory."

"You yelled at Rory?"

"I did… and that was the last straw. We have to talk Luke! I know I'm the one that has been avoiding you for the past week, and I know that the prospect of talking is what got us into this mess, but we've got to. We've got to resolve this one way or another! I can't go on like this!"

Sighing, Luke looked her dead in the eyes, "Okay… Let's talk."

Shaking her head in frustration, Lorelai spoke with a voice filled with sadness and pain. "Luke, do you even know how mad I am at you? You said the one thing that I hate most in this world! Do you even know how much it hurt me to hear you say that?"

Unsure of whether the question was rhetorical, Luke answered hesitantly but gently, "I do."

"I just… wait, what," she responded with a slightly confused tone.

"I said, I do. I know how bad it hurt you. I knew when I said it. And Mia talked to me about it… About what Christopher said."

"Of course, she did." Walking herself to the center of the room, Lorelai turned away from him as her tears finally began to fall. "Luke, I never thought that you, of all people, would say that to me! Maybe I'm overreacting, but I have been crying, crying so much because I don't know what to think!" As she continued on her rant, she wrapped her arms protectively around her middle and began to cry harder. "And all I have wanted to do is run to you, because you're my best friend, but you are the one who hurt me! You have taken over my life Luke! You are my food provider, my best friend, my boyfriend, Rory's father figure, and most importantly, the one person since Rory who I thought truly loved me, despite all the shit that I have in my life! I love you Luke, and you hurt me!"

Unable to sit still any longer, Luke closed the gap between them and brought her into his arms. He held her tightly to his chest, whispering reassurance to her, until the shaking and sobbing stopped. Once she grew quiet, Luke took the opportunity to speak, knowing that if there was a time he needed to use his words, this was it.

"Lorelai," he spoke softly, trailing his fingers through her hair and down her back, "I love you so much, and I am so sorry. I was not talking about Rory when I said that. She is so important to me; I love that girl like she's my own, and I would never say that she was a mistake. She's not a mistake, and _neither_ are you. If there's one thing I want you to believe, that's it. Once those words came out of my mouth, I knew what they sounded like, and I regretted them."

"Luke," she mumbled in quiet response against his chest, "Please tell me you are being honest… I can't be with someone who thinks of Rory as a mistake. You're not just lying to me to save your ass, right?"

"Hell no… I really wasn't talking about Rory. I was just saying I wanted to think things through so I _don't_ make a life altering mistake… not that you have already made a mistake."

For a few minutes, silence filled the room as they both processed. Slowly, Lorelai began to shift. Nuzzling into Luke's neck, she spoke quietly. "Luke, I have never needed someone as much as I need you. I don't know how you did it, but you've weaseled your way into my heart… but I need to know that you know why I was mad. Yes, Rory was an accident, but she is _not_ a mistake… I may be, but _she_ is not."

Planting a kiss to her hair, Luke answered in a whisper, "He was wrong. He was completely wrong… Neither of you are."

Finally gathering enough courage to look him in the eye, Lorelai lifted her head and said, "I'm still upset with Chris to this day for saying that to me… and you promised you wouldn't be like him…" she faltered off. "But Luke," she continued with a voice once again full of emotion, "You said you didn't mean it, and I believe you. I forgive you. I have to… I love you."

Releasing the breath he was holding, he replied with a soft "I love you too" and brought her lips to his, kissing her softly. When they broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "Gah, I've missed you."

"Me too… Me too."

They stood in silence for a few minutes, just holding each other. When Luke tried to let go, Lorelai pulled him closer, relaxing against his chest.

"Lorelai, It's late. You have to get back to Rory."

"She's spending the night with Sookie, and she'll come to the inn with her tomorrow morning," she mumbled, "I came here to get you back or to leave you for good… Either way, I would have needed some time to myself." Leaning her head back, she looked up at him with a smile, "And now that I have you, I'm not ready to leave."

A small laugh escaped Luke's lips. "Good. I didn't want you to." Placing his thumb under her chin, she lifted her head to his to kiss her slowly.

Eventually growing unhappy with the pace he chose, Lorelai ran her tongue along his bottom lip, hoping to gain access to more of him. Deciding to ignore her request, Luke continued to plant slow, loving kisses on her lips.

With each passing second, Lorelai became increasingly impatient. Taking matters into her own hands, she pulled her lips from his, marking a trail from his jaw back to his ear, nipping and drawing softly on his skin.

"Lorelai," he groaned quietly.

"Shhh," she mumbled.

Slowly, Lorelai made her way back to his where he took control, dropping his lips to the spot at the base of her neck he knew would drive her crazy.

"Oh, Luke," she moaned breathlessly.

Craving more contact, Lorelai moved closer as worked the buttons of her blouse, sliding it off her shoulders. Doing the best not to tear his lips form her neck longer than needed, Luke worked off his t-shirt and grabbed her waist, connecting their bare skin. A moan escaped Lorelai's lips as her hands began moving up and down the planes of his back; her hips jerked, grinding up against his. Noticing their distance from the bed, Luke patted her hip. Taking his cue, she lifted and wrapped her legs around his waist and he made his way over.

"I love you, Luke. I need you," Lorelai whispered softly.

Placing her lightly on the bed, he hovered over her with a smile. As he lowered his lips back down to hers, both of their hearts were filled with happiness, knowing that they were going to be just fine.

* * *

"That… wow." Luke spoke quietly, finally having caught his breath.

"I know… we are too damn good at that."

A laugh escaped his lips as he leaned in and kissed her temple. "I don't know if it is possible to be "too damn good" but if it is, then that was it."

As both of them recovered, they laid comfortably, whispering sweet nothings and sharing chaste pecks, simply enjoying their reconciliation.

"Hey Luke," Lorelai questioned as she rolled off of Luke and turned to face him, "I hate to interrupt our "afterglow" but… uh, can we talk now?"

Luke's brow furrowed as he scanned his mind for what she could be talking about. Tucking a stray curl behind her ear, he spoke carefully, "I thought we already talked."

"We did… at least, we did about what you said in the fight, but now about… you know.:

Noting her hesitation, Luke filled in the blanks, finally realizing what she was talking about. "But we didn't talk about what caused it."

"Yeah," Lorelai added, suddenly becoming shy. "Luke… Why wouldn't you want to discuss moving in or spending the night? Do you not want any of that to happen," she spoke, her tone suggesting she was a little hurt?

Sighing, Luke reached out to stroke her cheek gently. "Lorelai, I don't want you to think this has something to do with whether or not I love you or want a future with you… It's just, spending the night me and you is different than me spending the night at _your_ house when Rory is around."

"But you've spent the night when Rory was around before. Need I remind you of the sleep over we had a while back?" Planting a quick kiss to his chest, she continued, "Luke… Rory being home wouldn't set you off like that. What's really wrong here?"

"Rory really is a part of it."

"But what's the other part," Lorelai pushed.

"You really want to know?"

"Yeah," she smiled kindly, showing she was willing to listen, "I really do."

"The thing is, moving in scares me… once people move in together, their lives become intertwined, and if, heaven forbid, something changes, there's no way to make a clean escape."

While processing his words, a lightbulb went off in Lorelai's head. "Rachel?"

Nodding at her question, Luke continued tentatively. "Yeah, Rachel. The last time she was here, she stayed a while, and I really thought it was work." A grimace quickly appeared on his face. "I'm not so sure you really want to hear this."

Lorelai pecked his lips quickly, and as she leaned back, she reassured him, "It's okay. I want to know."

"Okay… after a few months, we got engaged, and she moved in with me. That's when everything went downhill. After a month or so, she was complaining one night that things were too much of a commitment for her, and the next morning, she was gone. There was no warning, no goodbye, no note. She just left."

"Are you serious," Lorelai questioned with wide eyes.

"Yeah…"

"Gah, Luke," she groaned, frustrated, "I hate that she did that to you." Running her hands down his arms, she took Luke's hands in hers. "I'm glad you brought it up to me, though... and that you trust me enough to talk about it."

"I've never told anyone what happened, you're the first to know." Luke informed her with a shrug.

Planting a feather-light kiss on the back of his hand, Lorelai looked him in the eyes and spoke confidently, "Luke… I need you to know that I'm not _her_ , nor will I ever be… Just like you're not _him_. I'm settled here. I won't screw you over like that."

Sighing, Luke answered, "That's what it was that started this whole mess. When you brought moving in up, I was afraid you'd be like her, and my mind immediately went back into defense mode. I'm sorry."

"It's okay… but I can't read your mind. You've been pretty good about sharing things with me so far. What's so different about your past with Rachel?"

"You know me, Lorelai. I'm only good at talking to you, but talking about an ex with you is not something I like to do… You probably don't want to hear about it anyway."

Shaking her head, Lorelai responded with a smile, "That's where you're wrong. I want to know, Luke. I want to know anything you have to say… Of course, knowing that someone else has seen your masterpiece of a body or fought with you and had _fantastic_ makeup sex afterward makes my skin crawl, but as long as we stay away from that topic…"

Laughing, Luke brought his lips to hers and pulled her closer to him. "You're crazy."

"What? Are you denying that you have a hot bod? I have to tell you, I think it's pretty top notch," she teased, poking his chest for emphasis.

"No, I know I look good," Luke responded with a smug grin, "But, I'm talking about the fighting thing."

"What do you mean? Are you telling me that you never fought with Rachel and made up like we did?"

Shrugging, Luke looked at her with a plain face.

"You never fought with Rachel," Lorelai questioned with a gaping mouth. Stunned, she mumbled, "Boy, that makes me feel like crap."

Shaking his head, Luke quickly assured her, "No… don't. You've got it wrong. Yeah, we had spats, but looking back, I noticed I didn't really fight with her because I didn't want to put in the effort."

"But I'm worth the effort," Lorelai questioned, cocking her head.

Not responding, Luke just grinned and nodded.

A brilliant smile spread across her face, and she leaned in to kiss him sweetly. "I like that." Pulling back, Lorelai reached up to trace his cheek, "Anyway, babe… I lean on you _all_ the time… For the record, I will do my best to not jump to conclusions, but you have to promise me that you'll stop holding things in and trust that I'll be on your side or I'll compromise."

Truly hearing her words, a grin appeared on Luke's face. Chuckling, he spoke, "I really am an idiot… Why did I do this?"

"Because you're scared… Our lives really _are_ becoming intertwined."

"Uh, yeah, that's what I was thinking… but after talking this out, I'm not really scared of it anymore."

"No," Lorelai questioned with a grin.

"No," he answered softly, drawing her in for a loving, lingering kiss.

"Mmmmm…" she hummed with a smile as she pulled back, "So about this spending the night at the house thing. I don't think we're ready to completely move in together."

Nodding in agreement, Luke replied, "I don't either."

"But… I wouldn't mind you spending the night maybe once or twice a week."

"Okay, but what about Rory," he questioned, concern evident in his voice, "She's used to just you being around, and I don't want to mess that up."

"You know, if she hated you, I would be more worried… but she doesn't. She loves you, babe."

An unapologetic grin appeared on Luke's face.

Tracing his lips with her finger, Lorelai added, "See, you know she loves you… Maybe once school gets started in a few weeks and Rory gets used to being in school again, you can spend the night just to change the dynamics, and we will see how things go… What do you think?"

"I think I'd like that."

"And I think I like your answer," Lorelai smiled, pushing Luke softly onto his back.

"Okay then," he laughed, "May I help you?"

"Yep." Crawling on top of him, she straddled him and kissed him sweetly. "So, we've made up, we've decided you're gonna spend the night, and we're still alone. Any ideas on what to do now?"

Smirking, Luke reached out and rubbed her hips. "I don't know… We could watch tv or read a book. Maybe we should play a card game or two."

Leaning down to him, she drew lightly on the skin of his neck. "Good ideas, but I was looking for something more physical."

To give her better access, Luke tilted his head, and added lightheartedly, "We could always go for a run."

Pulling back with a laugh, Lorelai smacked his chest playfully, "I think you know better than to even suggest that."

Luke looked at her with a seductive smirk playing on his face. "Well then, how are you going to take advantage of your time?"

Trailing a finger down his chest, she rocked slightly against him, drawing a moan from his throat. "I think I want to take advantage of something other than time…" Slowly, she leaned back down to nibble on his ear and whispered, "Something like you."

A growl rumbled deep in his throat. "I like the way you think."

* * *

 **A/N: I am hesitant with posting this chapter because I am not sure how y'all will take it. We didn't get to see Luke show his emotions a lot, and he wasn't good for more than a few words at a time when it came to emotional situations. I thought I always imagined it would be a little different behind closed doors. We also didn't get to see Luke share his feelings about a lot of things, especially concerning Rachel. I always thought that some of the hesitance he had in relationships probably stemmed from her flightiness. Sorry if any of this seems out of character to you, but this is how I saw a situation like this playing out between Luke and Lorelai. I hope you enjoyed it, though!**


	19. Chapter 19: Better Than I Thought

**What do you get when you have 2 essays, 2 exams, 1 quiz, 1 discussion, and a whole bunch of textbook reading in one week? One stressed out college student. Sorry guys. I am falling behind in writing because I have so much going on with school, but I will keep posting. I have the story outlined, so I already have the ideas in place; I just have to make the time to write them. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 35: Better Than I Thought**

Before they knew it, the beginning of September arrived, and school was about to begin. Though he wasn't sleeping over yet, Luke had begun to spend a lot more time at the Gilmore house hold since the fight, and most of the time, as was the case on this night, he was fixing dinner.

"What do you think, Daddy Luke?"

Putting down the knife he was using, Luke turned around to see Rory strutting into the kitchen, showing off the dress Lorelai sewed for her first day of school. It was a short-sleeved dress with colorful polka dots and a pink bow across the middle.

"I think it looks great, Rory. Does it spin?"

A wide grin took over Rory's face as she spun, less than gracefully, the skirt floating up around her.

Walking into the kitchen, Lorelai noticed her off balance daughter, and reached out to catch her, keeping her from falling. "Woah there, kid! What are you doing?"

A giggle escaped Rory's lips as she spoke, "Sorry! I was spinning for Daddy Luke!" Turning back to him, she exclaimed happily, "See! It spins really big!"

"Then I approve," Luke answered with a smile. Looking over to the doorway, he saw a smirking Lorelai. "What?"

Shaking her head, a small laugh escaped her lips. "Nothing." In her mind, she couldn't get over how much her little girl could affect the grumpiness that Luke usually portrayed. Changing the subject, Lorelai took a deep breath. "Mmmm. It smells amazing in here! What's on the menu for tonight?"

"Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread, per Rory's request."

Lorelai's jaw dropped. "You took Rory's dinner request? The other day you refused to take mine! How is that fair?"

"She was willing to compromise," Luke answered with a smug grin. "Why don't you tell her, Rory?"

"We're also eating salad," Rory added with a grimace. "Daddy Luke said that we couldn't have spaghetti without salad."

If looks could kill, the glare Lorelai shot in return would have ended Luke's life quickly. "I never agreed to anything. I'm not getting anywhere that green heap of grossness."

Knowing she would do anything for food, he countered impishly, "You will if you want to eat. I'm the one cooking here… If you want food, you have to go through me."

"You wouldn't dare withhold dinner from me."

"I would."

Walking over to him with a grin on her face, Lorelai flipped her hair and met him nose to nose. "Fine… I'll eat your health food, but you have to eat ice cream for dessert."

Not giving in to her tactics, Luke countered gruffly, "Not a chance."

"Okay then… I'm not eating. I'll just eat ice cream all by myself for dinner. I've been doing it for years."

"I want ice cream too. I don't want to eat salad," Rory interrupted with a giggle.

A victorious smirk appeared on Lorelai's face, as she answered with a smug tone in her voice. "Well, well, well… It looks like you have officially wasted all of your time cooking." Loosely draping her arms around his neck, she added sweetly, "That is, unless you'll give in and eat the ice cream."

Knowing there was no way he was going to convince them, Luke gave in with a growl, "Fine… You eat the salad; I'll eat the ice cream, but I'm only eating three bites."

Pumping her fist in the air, Rory celebrated with a loud, "Yes," as Lorelai planted a chaste kiss on Luke's lips. "Your grumpiness is no match for my amazing persuasion skills, Burger Boy."

Luke couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips. "Yeah, yeah. Just go sit down and let me finish cooking."

With a smile still on her face, Lorelai turned back to Rory. Tugging on the dress, she looked at the seams and made sure everything was straight. "Alright Rory, what do you think? Do you like this? Is this what you want to wear on the first day of first grade?"

"Yep! I like it a lot, Mommy!"

"Okay then. Go take it off, so I can finish sewing the seam around the neck. I'm gonna finish it tonight so that can go school supply shopping tomorrow."

"Okay!" Skipping towards the doorway to her room, Rory suddenly stopped. "Mommy, is Daddy Luke coming shopping tomorrow?"

"Uh, I don't think so. He wasn't planning on it. He has to work tomorrow, right, Luke?"

Listening in on the conversation between mother and daughter, Luke added in without turning away from the cutting board, "Yeah, I have Caesar opening, but I have to head in around 11:30 to prepare for lunch rush."

"Can we go in the morning, Mommy, so he can come with us? We can even have a sleepover!"

His breath hitching in his throat, Luke stopped what he was doing and turned around to see Lorelai with a contemplative look on her face. Noticing him looking at her, a slight look of hope appeared on Lorelai's face as she spoke. "It's okay if we don't wait until school starts… Rory seems like she'll be fine with it."

Looking over to see a wide-eyed Rory, Luke answered casually, "Okay, why not?"

Excited by the prospect of another sleepover, Rory exclaimed a loud, "Yay!" Running over to him, she threw her arms around Luke's leg, hugging him tightly. Following closely behind, Lorelai sauntered over, planting a kiss on his cheek and whispering a quiet "thank you" in his ear.

Patting Rory on the shoulder, Lorelai interrupted her embrace with Luke with a laugh. "Alright hon, you might want to go take that dress off before you get something on it. We'll go to the living room when you're done and pick out a movie for the tonight."

A thoughtful look appeared on Rory's face. "Can I read for a little while instead? Mia gave me a book from the inn today!"

"Go for it. I'll come and get you in a little bit when dinner is ready."

As Rory closed the door to her room behind her, Lorelai sat at the table, watching Luke move around the kitchen. If he hadn't been listening hard enough, he wouldn't have heard her say, "We're finally going to do this. You're gonna stay here."

Not knowing whether she wanted him to hear her or not, he remained focused on adding seasonings to the sauce and answered with a quiet, "Yep."

Speaking louder than before, happiness took over Lorelai's voice. "You're really gonna stay here. You're not freaking out; I'm not freaking out…. This is good."

Taking his eyes off of the food, Luke shot her a satisfied grin. "Yeah, it is."

Standing up and walking over to him, Lorelai wrapped her arms around him, splaying her hands across his abs. "You know, you look really good when you cook." Slowly, her hands drifted lower.

Dropping his spoon on the counter, Luke muttered in response. "And you know that if you want dinner, you have to keep your hands to yourself."

Ignoring his words, a chuckle escaped her lips as stuck her hands in his front pockets and leaned against his back. "Oh please, you and your dramatics."

Looking over to make sure Rory's door was closed and seeing it was, Luke turned around and pulled her in for a heated kiss. When they finally broke apart, Lorelai was left gasping for breath. "Dramatics, no… It's self-preservation when you're around."

"Aw, Luke… you think I'm irresistible?"

Placing another quick kiss to her lips, he dropped his down to neck, feeling her quickened pulse beneath them. "I do."

With a satisfied grin, she pulled back and spoke softly, "Good to know… but, really, thank you for staying."

"Glad to be here."

As Lorelai turned away, she started to walk back to the table but stopped. Turning back around, she stared at Luke. Taking steps back to him, she flirted, "Maybe just one more." Placing her hands on the back of his neck, she held his lips to hers. One of his arms found its way around her waist, and his hand began drawing shapes on her lower back as they took their fill of each other. Before things got too carried away, Lorelai removed her lips from his and nuzzled into his neck. "Hey Luke," she spoke with a seductive whisper.

Pulling back hesitantly, Luke ran his thumb along the bottom of her swollen lips, "You know… Don't think I don't realize what you're doing. You still have to eat the salad."

With a sigh and a grin, she spoke, "Damn."

Putting his hands on her his, he turned her around and pointed her towards the table and whispered huskily in her ear, "I'll make it up to you later." Even though he couldn't see her face, he knew she was smiling. Swatting her on the bottom, he brought his voice back to normal level as he ordered, "Now go sit and let me make your food. It's almost ready."

Strolling back to the table, Lorelai sat down and began observing him again. A few minutes later, she had a new idea in mind. If she couldn't flirt her way out of it, maybe she could annoy him. "Luke?"

Without even looking up, he answered, "No."

Caught off guard by his sudden answer, Lorelai quickly questioned, "What?"

Still not taking his focus off of the food, Luke answered, "I said no."

"But you don't even know what I was going to say!"

"When you use that tone, it means you are going to do something I won't like… so no."

"But…"

Shaking his head, he cut her off. "Nope. No whining, no hair flipping, no telling dirty jokes… and stick that bottom lip back in." Noting her silence, he turned around and saw Lorelai with her arms crossed, scowling. Snorting a laugh, he walked over to her and planted a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you, but I'd rather not burn myself because you're distracting me."

A small smile appeared on Lorelai's face as she dramatically rolled her eyes. "Fine… I'll be good."

Patting her leg, he answered, "Good. Now go pull Rory away from those books because I'm about 5 minutes away from being done. I'll make the plates."

* * *

Nearing the end of their meal, Rory began nodding tiredly.

Nudging Lorelai with his elbow, Luke nodded his head towards Rory and spoke, "I think someone is about ready for bed."

Nodding in agreement, she spoke up. "Hey, hon? Are you ready to go to bed? You look pretty tired."

Quickly, Rory's head jerked up as she unconvincingly answered, "No! I'm not ready. What about ice cream?"

Luke laughed at the similarity between mother and daughter's way of denial, and whispered nonchalantly to Lorelai. "Like mother like daughter."

Jokingly elbowing his ribs, Lorelai commanded, "Oh hush." Knowing it was nearing Rory's bed time, she pressed, "Are you sure not tired, Rory? Your face just about ended up in what's left on your plate. You can always have some ice cream tomorrow night."

"I'm sure," Rory responded happily, with a yawn, "I don't want to go to sleep yet. Daddy Luke is here."

A small chuckle escaped Luke's lips as he added, "You know I'm going to be here in the morning, right? You convince me to stay and go shopping. Are you going to stay up all night?"

"No…" she answered softly, "I don't want to go to bed yet. Will you read to me?"

"Doesn't your mom normally do that?" Shifting his glance over to Lorelai, Luke waited for her to respond.

He was met with a small shrug of her shoulders. "I don't care if you do it, if that's what she wants."

Gasping with wide-puppy dog eyes, Rory pled, "Please Daddy Luke!?"

"Ooo, she's giving you the "Rory-eyes" … You've got to do it now," Lorelai laughed.

"You think I don't know that?" Standing up, Luke pulled Rory out of her chair and held her. "Alright. Let's go pick out a book." Looking back at a still sitting Lorelai, he questioned, "You coming?"

"You know, I think I might clean up in here… What do you think, Rory? Is that okay with you?"

Rather than responding, Rory nodded with a smile.

"Alright." Walking over to them, Lorelai placed a big kiss on her daughter's cheek and hugged her. "Goodnight sweets. Have fun reading with Daddy Luke."

After receiving a kiss from Lorelai himself, Luke walked over to the room, sitting Rory on her bed and going over to the book shelves. "Okay… which one do you want tonight?"

"The big green one! There's a bunch of stories in there, and Mommy always reads those to me."

Removing the large book from the shelf, he shuffled over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Don't sit down there," Rory spoke up softly while patting the spot next to her, "Mommy always sits up here so I can see the pictures."

Shifting up to the top of the bed, Luke stretched out hesitantly. Lifting his arm to put it around her, Rory leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. With a yawn, she spoke sleepily, "Okay. You can start now."

Opening the book to a random story, Luke cleared his throat uncertainly, realizing he didn't have any experience with reading to kids. "Alright…" Quickly, he scanned the first page, and while reading the names, an idea popped into his head. "In the land of Ginselle, there was a beautiful princess named Rory."

"Hey," Rory spoke up excitedly, "That's my name!" Leaning forward, she read the words on the page. A peculiar look took over her face as she pointed to the paragraph on the page. "That's not Rory… That says Aurora."

"Rory… Aurora. Same thing," Luke shrugged.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she continued unconvinced, "But I'm not a princess."

"I call you princess all the time."

Biting her lip, Rory pondered Luke's answer for a moment. "So, I'm your princess?"

"I think so," Luke answered, plating a kiss to her hair.

A wide grin spanned across her face as she spoke happily, "I like being a princess." Snuggling closer, Rory tapped the page of the book, "Keep going."

With the door open to Rory's room, Lorelai could hear the conversation between Luke and her daughter. Listening to Luke call Rory his princess, she could have sworn that she felt her heart swell. _"Having him spend the night is going to be better than I thought."_

With Rory asleep, Luke rose from the bed slowly, doing his best not to wake her. Seeing she was still asleep, he tucked her in and planted a light kiss on her forehead before walking out and pulling the door to.

Entering the kitchen, Luke looked up to see Lorelai leaning back against the counter grinning at him. "Is there a reason you are looking at me like that?"

Walking over to him, she draped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, pecking his cheek. "You are the cutest thing."

Rolling his eyes, he answered gruffly, "I'm guessing you've been standing in her listening to me read for the past half hour?"

Shaking her head at his sudden grumpy demeaner, she laughed. "Yep." As she ran her hands across his chest, Lorelai looked up into his eyes. "You know, your whole "Princess Rory" thing was sweet."

Luke couldn't help the slight blush that tinged his cheeks. "Yeah, well…" Clearing his throat, he changed the subject. "So, uh, I should probably go get some clothes and stuff. I didn't come prepared to spend the night and all."

Tangling her fingers through the curls at the base of his neck, Lorelai raised her eyebrows playfully. "You don't have to. I don't mind seeing you walk around in your birthday suit… I don't think Patty or Babette would mind either."

Stepping out of her arms, he moved towards the living room as he groaned and rolled his eyes. "I don't even want to think about that. I don't want any of the crazy women in this town thinking about me like that."

Before he could get too far, Lorelai captured Luke's hand with hers and walked him to the foyer. "Even me," she questioned with a playful glimmer in her eyes, "I hate to break it to you, but I've already seen your goods, so the image is permanently burned into my brain. In fact, I think I'm gonna imagine you right now…"

"Lorelai…"

With her eyes closed, she began to grin. "Not yet… let me enjoy the image of your hot bod a little more."

Grumbling, Luke continued to stomp towards the door. "I'm leaving. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Placing her free hand on his chest, she stopped him. "I'll stop thinking about you naked. From now on, in my imagination, you'll be covered from head to toe. Not one part of your body will be uncovered, even your eyes."

"Uh huh."

As Luke tried to step away again, Lorelai still had a hold of his hand, and she held him back. "Hold on. One more thing… I hear this apartment you're going to is above a diner that serves some pretty good pie. Think you can hook me up?"

"Aren't you just about to have some ice cream?"

"Some ice cream that you're gonna share with me, yes."

Narrowing his eyes at her, Luke responded, "And you expect me to bring pie too?"

Instead of answering, Lorelai merely poked out her bottom lip.

"Fine…Boysenberry or apple?"

Sticking her lip out even further, she whined, "You're gonna make me choose?"

A grin tugged at his lips as Luke shook his head. "I don't even know why I asked." Placing a quick kiss on her lips, he walked out the door. "I'll be back in a little bit."

Closing the door behind him, Lorelai tried to make her way back to the couch but was stopped by the ringing phone. _"Who calls at 9 o'clock at night?"_ Deciding to let the call go to the machine, she sat down and laid back on the arm of the couch to begin scrolling through tv channels. Freezing as soon as she heard the voice, Lorelai's channel progress was halted as the message echoed from the machine.

" _Hello Lorelai. It's your father. I apologize for calling so late, but I just wanted to let you know that your mother and I are back from the Vineyard. I would love to have you and Rory over for dinner sometime soon, and you can feel free to bring Luke along with you. You can call me back at either the house phone or my office phone, whichever you prefer. Have a goodnight, Lorelai."_

"Ughhhh," Lorelai groaned, throwing her arm over her face, "I was having such a good night!"

* * *

When Luke arrived back at the house 20 minutes later, he found Lorelai in the same position, with her arm slung over her face. Chuckling at the lack of ice cream on the table, Luke teased, "I thought you would have finished half the carton by now, not the whole carton." Realizing her frustration as he sat on the couch, Luke began to question with concern, "Lorelai, what happened? What's wrong?"

"I didn't even make it to the freezer to get the ice cream. Go click the button on the answering machine."

Confused, Luke walked over and pressed the replay button, his eyes going with realization as Richard Gilmore's voice filled the room. "Oh."

Griping, Lorelai rolled to lay flat on the couch. "Yeah "oh" … I haven't even thought about dinner with them with all that has been going on for the past few weeks."

Moving to her side, Luke dropped the pie in his hands on to the coffee table. Lifting Lorelai's head, he sat down, resting her head in his lap and running his fingers through her curls.

"Mmmm. That feels nice."

Knowing she was probably waiting on him to start the actual conversation, Luke prodded, "So, what do you think you're going to do?"

Sighing, Lorelai tried not to stress by focusing on the feeling of her boyfriend's fingers running through her hair. "I don't know. I want to spend more time with Dad, and Rory really seemed to like him… I just get a bad feeling about what my mother is going to do. I can't help but think that she's gonna try something or, at least, say something."

"Okay…" Luke answered calmly, allowing Lorelai to think this out herself and living up to his promise of keeping his input out.

"I mean, Emily has never liked my life choices, and she never will. If she would just disapprove quietly, I could live with it, but she doesn't. she always has something to say, and that's what pisses me off more than anything. Instead of acting as if she had the slightest amount of love for me, she acts like I'm the most reviling thing on this earth!"

Noticing that she was getting worked up, Luke reached down to take one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips. "You're not reviling."

"Thank you…" she smiled kindly. Taking a calming breath, Lorelai continued, "Babe, if it was just me, I'd say no. My mother has obviously proven she doesn't want me around… but I have Rory. That's what makes this so hard. I want her to have family. It has been just me and her for her whole life so far… I mean, we have you, and for that I am thankful." Taking a breath, she paused and kissed his hand in return. "But I still want her to have some blood family, you know… and I see so much of my dad in her that I want her to get to know him."

"So you're going?"

Sighing, Lorelai spoke softly. "I guess so… Probably… Do you want to go with me?"

"Nope. Not at all."

Gaping at him, Lorelai laughed at his blunt answer. "Wow, tell me how you really feel."

With a shrug, Luke continued, "Well, you asked if I wanted to go. I don't want to go, but if you want me to, then I will."

"I do want you to go."

"Then I'm going."

"Thank you," Lorelai smiled. Getting up from the couch, she pulled Luke up with her and planted a sweet kiss on his lips. Walking hand in hand, they made it upstairs and into the bedroom.

"So we're really gonna do this? We're really going to have dinner with your parents? You aren't going to change your mind last second?"

Taking a deep breath, Lorelai wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest. "Yeah, we are really going to do this… and hopefully it won't come back to bite me in the ass."

Rubbing small circles on her lower back, Luke reassured, "And if it does, you'll be okay. You've got Rory, and you've got me. All in."

Smiling up at him, she answered lightly, "That's all I need," and brought his lips down to hers in a love filled kiss. "I know in the kitchen earlier I teased and made plans for tonight, but I am drained. Would you be mad if I said I was only good for some hardcore cuddling?"

Planting a kiss to her temple, Luke answered, "I'm good for whatever you want."

A soft, satisfied sigh escaped her lips. "Now I'm really glad you're here."

"Me too."

"Come on, let's get all warm and snuggly. You've got a big day ahead of you… Tomorrow, you get to see the wonders of Rory Gilmore's school supply shopping."

Scoffing, Luke countered, "It can't be that bad. She's going into the first grade… Just get a pack of crayons and some paper and you're done."

Looking at him with a knowing grin, Lorelai laughed. "Okay… you can think that, but don't say I didn't warn you."


	20. Chapter 20: Back to School

**A/N: Happy Birthday to me, and happy update day to you! MewWinx96 requested a chapter of fluff before Hurricane Emily arrives, so you're wish is my command! If y'all ever have something you want to see, don't be afraid to ask. I am always open to suggestions! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Chapter 36: Back to School**

Walking through the aisles of Staples, Luke carried the basket as Lorelai strolled along with him, her arms wrapped around one of his. In front of them, Rory skipped happily to their next stop: the crayon section.

"So, you called your dad this morning?"

Sighing, Lorelai looked up at him, "Yeah… We have dinner with my parents two Fridays from now. Dad agreed that we should get Rory settled into her school routine this week, so we will worry about going to dinner with them the next week. "

Removing his arm from her grasp, Luke put it around her, pulling her closer to him, "And I'm guessing that we're going to have to dress up for this dinner?"

"Yep. Coat and tie." Lorelai smiled, a teasing glimmer appearing in her eyes. "That's one good thing about going to the Gilmore Compound. I get to see you all GQ'd up."

Trying not to attract attention from the people around him, Luke grumbled quietly, "I hate ties… I always feel like I'm choking."

Squeezing his waist, Lorelai laughed, "But you look really hot when you do wear them. I mean… I like the flannel, but I like having a "Luke present" to unwrap every once in a while."

Narrowing his eyes at her, he scoffed. "But it's so uncomfortable… and for what? So I look like a typical white collar man… a man who probably barely pays attention to his wife and kids but knows _everything_ about stocks and bonds. Obviously wearing flannel shows that I have no class and no future, but coming in with perfectly pleated pants and a red noose around my neck is society approved." Finishing his rant, Luke looked to see Lorelai with a wide grin on her face. With a sigh, he mumbled, "Okay, I'm done."

Lacing her fingers through is, Lorelai pecked his lips quickly. "I love ranting Luke."

"I'm glad my frustration brings you joy," he deadpanned in response.

Before they knew it, they were brought out of their conversation by the sound of Rory's curious voice. "Should I get the 24 or the 48 pack?"

As Luke went to answer, he was stopped by Lorelai's finger on his lips. "That's rhetorical, babe," she whispered.

Seeing Rory's eyes shift between the two packs, Luke spoke in a confused whisper, "We've been here for 15 minutes already, and she's done this with every item. What is she doing?"

"She's listing the pros and cons in her head."

Soon, Rory spoke up, placing her chosen supplies in the basket. "I'm gonna get two 24 packs. Is that okay, Mommy?"

"That's perfectly fine, hon," Lorelai answered with a smile.

This time, Luke decided to question the peculiar decision making of the 5 year old. "Rory, why would you get two boxes of 24 cratons instead of one box of 48?"

With a smile, Rory turned to Luke laughed. "I don't need all the colors in the 48 box. If one crayon breaks in the 24, then I have another one." Turning to finish walking down the aisle, Rory continued, "Okay… glue sticks or glue bottle?"

With the couple following close behind, Lorelai turned and laughed, observing the confused look on Luke's face. "What's with the look, Luke?"

Shaking his head in dismay, he answered stunned, "What five-year-old thinks like this? When I was five, I was too worried about whether my friends and I were going to be chased by Susie Owens at recess, not the pros and cons of every piece of school supplies in stock."

Patting his chest with a grin, Lorelai replied, "I can't even begin to explain her thinking or where she got it from… But just so you know, you haven't seen anything yet. Just wait until we have to choose her folders."

"Folders? Plural? How many does a first grader need?"

"Normally, 1… but Rory is anything but normal," she laughed, "She has to have three individual folders that are different colors. She picks one for incomplete assignments, one for complete assignments, and one for "for fun" assignments."

"For fun assignments?"

"They are assignments that she asks the teacher for when she wants more work to do."

Puzzled by Rory's behavior, Luke prodded teasingly, "More work? Are you sure this kid is yours? I'm pretty sure you avoid work as much as possible."

"If I didn't go through the labor to have her, I would be questioning it myself… I don't understand it," Lorelai smiled.

Their conversation was quickly interrupted by an excited Rory. "Look Mommy! They have white glue _and_ gel glue!"

Shooting Luke a smile, Lorelai pulled him along with her to the end of the aisle. "We better catch up to her, or she'll buy out the whole store."

* * *

One hour later, the "family" pulled back into the square of Stars Hollow.

"Luke, are you sure you can't take the rest of the day off? It's Sunday, and it's Rory's last day of freedom before school tomorrow," Lorelai implored from the driver's seat.

"Sorry…Caesar has a family reunion tonight, so it's just me running the kitchen and serving for dinner."

Before Lorelai could respond, Rory made her input into the conversation with a plea in her voice. "Daddy Luke, can you spend the night again and come with us to school tomorrow?"

Seeing Luke's obviously curious face, Lorelai shrugged. Turning to her daughter in the back seat, she questioned, "You want him to come with us, hon? Why?"

Shyly, Rory looked towards Luke with a smile. "Everyone else's Mommy and Daddy comes with them on the first day, so I want to have my Mommy _and_ my Daddy Luke."

Thinking he might be hesitant to spend the night two nights in a row, Lorelai opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off Luke. "Well, I guess you can't argue with that logic."

Bright smiles appeared on both girls' faces, and Lorelai spoke happily. "So you'll come over tonight after you close?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Leaning over the center console, she planted a kiss on his lips and pulled back with a satisfied smile. "Okay… we'll see you later then."

Luke made his way out of the Jeep, but before he could close the door, he was called by Lorelai's flirtatious tone. "Hey babe…"

Looking back at her with a plain look, Luke deadpanned, "I know. I'll bring some burgers and fries with me when I come."

Grinning at his ability to know exactly what she wanted, she called him over and pecked his lips one last time. "Thanks. Love you."

"Love you too," Luke smirked. Looking back at the back seat, he added with a wave, "See ya later, Rory."

"Bye Daddy Luke!"

Once Luke was gone, Lorelai knew exactly what the rest of their day would entail. Looking at her daughter in the rear-view mirror, she questioned, "Alright, hon. It's just me and you. What do you say to a Mommy-Daughter date to the ice cream parlor?"

Gasping, a wide smile appeared on Rory's face. "Can I get extra sprinkles?"

"It's your last day of freedom. You get whatever you want."

* * *

The following morning, streaks of sunshine broke through the window shades, causing Luke to stir. Making a move to stretch, he realized he was being held down, and glancing up at the ceiling, he realized he was not at his apartment. A mild panic set in until he realized his surroundings, and he noticed the weight keeping him in place, Lorelai's body, was beginning to stir with him.

Glancing over at the clock, Luke noted the time, 5:58, and knew they would have to get up soon to make it to the school by 7:30. Placing a soft kiss to Lorelai's forehead, Luke stroked up and down her back, waking her up as gently as possible, acknowledging from their previous nights together that waking her up was no easy task.

"Mmmm… you better have a good reason for waking me without coffee."

Chuckling at her sleepy remark, Luke replied softly, "I would have gotten up and made some if I wasn't being pinned down by a certain someone."

Groaning, Lorelai rolled over to the other side of the bed. "There. Get cooking, Burger Boy."

"I will… but you still have to get up. You have less than 2 hours to be ready. For you that's a pretty big challenge." After he got out of the bed, Luke pulled back the covers so she couldn't stay warm. "You told me last night that I had to get you up by 6:00… and it's 6:00, so get up."

"Luke," Lorelai whined with her eyes still closed, drawing out his name as she normally did, "Everyone knows that 6:00 in Lorelai time is 6:15."

Smirking, though she couldn't see him, he bent back down to the bed, grabbed her waist and tried to pull her over to him. "You didn't say 6:00 Lorelai time, so we're going by 6:00 Luke time. Come on."

Making herself dead weight, Lorelai resisted in every way possible. "Leave me alone. I still have 15 minutes."

With an eyeroll, Luke mumbled, "I swear, you're a child." Obviously knowing he was strong enough to lift her, he leaned down and picked her up "wedding style." Carrying her to the bathroom, he forced her to stand up, planting her feet on the floor and backing away quickly. "I'll go get Rory up. Now take your shower and get ready… If you do it fast enough, there might even be some pancakes to go with that coffee you want.:

Growling, Lorelai responded tiredly, "Ugh. Remind me to never have you spend the night again."

Wearing a grin, Luke planted a kiss on her forehead. "Yeah, yeah." With a pat on her back, he walked out of the bathroom, calling as he left, "Now get moving."

* * *

While Lorelai was getting ready, Luke made his way downstairs and found a wide-awake Rory sitting at the table fully dressed, with an obvious bed-head ready to be wrangled into a ponytail by Lorelai.

"Finally," she sighed exasperated, "It's the first day of first grade! I'm ready to go!"

"With hair like that," Luke chuckled, "I don't think you're ready to go yet."

Quickly, a frown took over her face. "I can't do it by myself. Mommy always does it for me… Can you do it?"

Looking at Rory, he contemplated his choices. Lorelai wouldn't be downstairs for at least another 30 minutes, which gave him plenty of time to do Rory's hair and cook. "Sure, princess… Go get me your brush and hair ties."

When Rory came back, she plopped herself into Luke's lap and placed the supplies for her hair out on the table. With hopeful eyes, she turned to him and asked, "Can you do braids?"

"Uh, it's been a while, but I'll try."

After 15 minutes, and at least two restarts, Rory had two perfectly French-braided pig tails with pink bows on the end that matched her dress. "Okay. I'm done. Go look in the mirror."

Running to the bathroom, Luke could hear the gasp escape Rory's lips, and she quickly returned to the table, throwing herself into his arms and kissing his cheek. "Thanks Daddy Luke! You did them as good as Mommy does!"

As much as he tried, Luke couldn't prevent a smile from forming on his lips. "No problem, Rory… You want some breakfast now?"

Nodding excitedly, Rory pled, "Yes please!"

"So I'm making chocolate chip pancakes for your mom… do you want the same?"

"Yes! This is gonna be the best first day of school ever!"

Around 35 minutes later, just as the clock struck 6:50, Lorelai was ready for the day and made her way downstairs. Coming into the kitchen, she announced, "Alright Rory. Go get our brush and stuff so I can…" Before she could finish, she looked up to see Rory at the table eating her stack of pancakes, her hair already done. Curiosity took over as she looked over to Luke with dismay. "Did you braid her hair?"

Shrugging it off, Luke responded casually, "Yeah… It's no big deal."

Shocked by his hidden talent, Lorelai smiled widely, "Huh… who would have thought?"

Clearing his throat, not wanting her to make a big deal of it, Luke spoke plainly, "Uh yeah… So your pancakes and coffee are ready. I guess I'll go up and get ready."

Making a move to go out of the room, Luke was stopped by Lorelai grabbing his shoulder. Planting a quick kiss to his cheek, just as her daughter did, Lorelai gave a quiet, "Thanks."

"Like I told Rory, it was no problem," Luke answered,` kissing her right back. "I'll be ready in a few."

* * *

Walking up to the school, Luke strolled on one side, Lorelai strolled on the other, and Rory skipped as she held both of their hands in the middle.

"I'm so excited," Rory exclaimed happily, pulling a little harder on their hands, "Come on! We have to go meet my teacher!"

Chuckling at the little girl's excitement, Luke asked, "Who is her teacher anyway?"

Lifting up and reading the yellow paper in her free hand, Lorelai answered, "According to this sheet, Mrs. Elliot."

"You're kidding? She still a teacher?" Stopping their momentum, Luke turned to Lorelai, shocked.

"Apparently so…"

"Huh…"

Looking at him with a furrowed brow, Lorelai questioned curiously, "Why are you so shocked?"

With a shake of his head, he pulled them along and kept walking. "I just didn't realize she was even still in town. Come on, we don't want to be late." With slight hesitation, a still confused Lorelai followed while Rory obliviously continued to skip happily.

Finally making it to the classroom, Lorelai stopped outside the door. Turning to Rory, she spoke with a sad smile. "Alright, this is it hon. Are you sure you don't want to come to work with Mommy all day? I hear that restocking the rooms with bars of soap sure is fun."

Giggling, Rory smiled, "You're silly, Mommy. Come on! We've got to go!"

With her head held high, Rory strutted into the classroom with her "parents" in tow. They were met in the front of the room by an elderly woman. "Hello, there. My name is Mrs. Elliot. I'll be your teacher for this year."

Confidently, Rory held out her hand for Mrs. Elliot to shake. "Hi, I'm Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, but everyone calls me Rory."

Laughing at the little girl's grown up demeanor, Mrs. Elliot shook Rory's hand softly. "It's nice to meet you, Rory."

Not losing any of her excitement, Rory turned. "This is my Mommy and this is my Daddy Luke."

Extending her hand in the same manor, Lorelai spoke kindly, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Lorelai."

With a smile, Mrs. Elliot responded, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lorelai." Turning to Luke, she shook her head with amazement. "And if it isn't Luke Danes."

Nodding sheepishly, Luke answered plainly, "Hello, Mrs. Elliot. It's nice to see you again."

Reaching up, she pulled Luke into a friendly hug. "Well, I'll say it's been a while since you've been here, Luke. It's been, what, 20 years, give or take?"

Before he could respond, a widely grinning Lorelai laughed with excitement. "No way! She was your teacher too?"

Rolling his eyes, Luke continued as if it was no big deal. "Yeah. She taught me, and she taught Liz."

Looking up in awe, Rory gaped at her teacher. "You taught my Daddy Luke?" Turning to him, she threw her arms around his leg in an embrace. "We have the same teacher! That is so cool!"

"Well, Luke," Mrs. Elliot spoke curiously, "I hadn't realized that you had a daughter."

Interceding quickly, Lorelai grabbed on to Luke's arm. "Well, we're not exactly family; Rory is actually my daughter… but she is as close to being his daughter as possible without being the real thing." Looking at him with adoring eyes, she took his hand and squeezed. Turning back to the teacher, she continued, "Anyway, you wouldn't happen to have any little Luke stories to tell, would you?"

With a groan, Luke rolled his eyes. In a warning tone, he spoke and glared down at her. "Lorelai..."

With a laugh, Mrs. Elliot answered pleasantly, "Oh, I might have a few in mind, but I'll let Luke be the one to tell those stories."

Faking a frown, Lorelai pouted. "Darn…" Turning back to her daughter, Lorelai crouched down to Rory's level. "Alright sweets… I guess it's time for me and Luke to leave. Are you sure you don't want to come to the inn with me?"

Nodding with a smile, Rory answered with a peck on Lorelai's cheek. "I'm sure Mommy." Throwing her arms around her mother's neck, she added softly in her ear, "I love you Mommy."

Trying her best to keep it together, Lorelai squeezed Rory one last time and stood up solemnly. "I love you too kid. I'll see you when I pick you up later."

Pulling him down for a hug, Rory pecked Luke's cheek also. "Bye Daddy Luke."

Unable to help the smile that tugged at his lips, Luke patted her back. "See ya later Rory."

* * *

Walking out of the school, Luke could see the frown on Lorelai's face starting to form. Taking her hand, they strolled to the diner in silence. Stopping her before she could enter her jeep, Luke spoke tenderly, "Hey, come on," and extended his hand to her.

Looking at his outstretched hand curiously, she took it. Pulling her to him, Luke guided her to the alley, in the back door of the diner, and up to the apartment.

As he unlocked the door slowly, Lorelai prodded, "What about the diner?"

Ignoring her question, Luke opened the door and ushered her inside. Once the door was closed behind them, Luke pulled her to him, leaning her head against his chest and planting a kiss to the top of her head. "You don't go in until 9:30 today, so I won't go in until 9:30 today."

"Thank you," Lorelai smiled and spoke softly. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she planted a kiss to his flannel clad chest. "My baby is in first grade. She's getting so big. I don't like it."

Tracing circles on the small of her back, Luke soothed, "I know you don't, but she's in good hands. Don't worry."

Nodding against him, Lorelai added a sad, "I know." Taking a deep breath, she finally noticed the smell of coffee permeating throughout the room and looked up at him with a bright smile. "You didn't?"

Looking away from her gaze, he shrugged casually, as if it was no big deal.

"You did!" Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him excitedly. "My own pot of sympathy coffee. You really are amazing."

"I know," Luke answered with a chuckle, "Now go sit on the couch and relax. I'll bring some over."

Kicking her shoes off by the door, Lorelai sauntered over to the couch. Soon, Luke met her with a large mug that was filled to the rim. Taking a sip, she laid back on the arm of the couch. Sitting down with her, he moved to the other end of the couch and put her feet in his lap. "Are you sure you're okay," Luke questioned with a voice laced with concern.

Sighing, Lorelai looked over to him, "Yeah… Thank you for doing this. I know I probably shouldn't be so bummed about Rory's first day of school, but it sucks, you know? It seems like just yesterday that I showed up to the inn with my tiny 5-month-old in hand, and now she's 5 _years_ old, going on 6 next month. It's going by too fast. She won't be my little girl for much longer."

"She'll always be your little girl," he quickly assured her, squeezing her calf.

Mumbling sadly, she took another sip of coffee. "How do you know?"

"Hey, look at me…" Staring at her, Luke waited for Lorelai's eyes to lock with his. Once the finally did, he spoke softly, "Trust me… I just know."

"Thanks, babe."

Flicking his head, Luke called her over to him. Placing her cup on the table, Lorelai scooted into his lap and leaned against him. They sat in comfortable silence, the only noise heard was the clamor of the diner softly that echoed up the stairs.

"Hey, Luke," Lorelai questioned, breaking the silence they formed.

"Yeah?"

"Where in the world did you learn how to do hair?"

Chuckling at her sudden change of topic, he stated, "How your mind gets from point A to point B is a mystery to me."

"I can't let you in on all of my tricks, Burger Boy." She laughed. "But really… Those braids in Rory's hair are pretty damn close to perfect. I didn't even know you could do hair…"

Growing solemn, Luke rubbed his hand across the back of his neck self-consciously. "Uh yeah… no one really does. When mom was… you know… progressing near the end, she taught me to braid because someone was going to have to do Liz's hair, and my dad couldn't… I did Liz's hair for school for a few years before she could do it herself."

"Really?"

"Yeah…"

Smiling, Lorelai planted a kiss to his cheek. "That's really sweet. Thank you for doing that for Rory."

"It was no big deal. It made getting ready easier for the both of you."

Running a finger up and down the buttons of his flannel, she spoke kindly, "You know, you are a very talented man, Mr. Danes. Cooking, reading, doing hair… before you know it, Rory won't need me anymore and will rely solely on you."

"She'll always need you," Luke assured her, placing a kiss to her forehead. "Where else is she going to get her daily dose of crazy?"

Laughing, Lorelai looked at him with loving eyes and wore a smile brighter than he'd seen all morning. "I love you."

"I love you too."


	21. Chapter 21: Gilmore Dinner Part 1

**Chapter 37: Gilmore Dinner Part 1**

Walking into the diner for coffee after dropping Rory off at school the next week, Lorelai didn't stop at her usual place at the counter. Continuing through the dining room, she headed towards the curtain that led to Luke's apartment.

Looking up from cleaning the nonexistent stain on the counter, Luke questioned, "Uh, where do you think you're going?"

At the doorway, Lorelai stopped and turned to him with a smile. Casually, she answered, "To the bathroom."

"But the bathroom for the diner is down here."

With a careless flip of the hand, Lorelai countered him tauntingly. "I know, but I'm your girlfriend. I don't think I should have to use the one everyone else uses when there is a better one upstairs."

Rolling his eyes, Luke crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, right now you're not just my girlfriend, you're a customer. Customers use the bathroom down here."

With a smirk, she took a step closer to him, bringing herself behind the counter. "Ah, you see, that's where you're wrong. At this moment, I am not a customer. I haven't ordered, and I don't see my mug sitting on the counter full of coffee. I haven't even attempted to order anything from this _fine_ establishment, therefore, I am officially _not_ a customer. I am merely your stunning and amazing girlfriend…" Taking a moment, she gestured to herself and modeled the flippy skirt that happened to be his favorite. "And as your girlfriend, I have the privilege of using the utilities of your apartment, which includes the bathroom."

Looking at her with a stern glare, he moved her from behind the counter. "If I let you go, will it shut you up and make you stop getting on my nerves?"

Pretending to ponder his question, Lorelai tapped her chin lightly. "Hmmm, probably not."

Sighing, he shook his head and turned around, mumbling, "Just go."

A few minutes later, Lorelai returned wearing a bright smile. Plopping down on her stool at the counter, she was met with a full mug sitting in front of her. Feigning surprise, she fawned in a cheery voice, "Why, thank you Mr. Danes… I must say, as your _favorite customer_ , I thoroughly enjoy such prompt service."

With a plain look, Luke spoke sarcastically. "Is there a reason for this pleasant mood you're in today?"

"You mean you don't enjoy my complements to you? Fine, I guess I'll just keep the comment I had about your butt in those jeans to myself."

Groaning, he responded in a chastising tone. "Lorelai…"

"What," she grinned mischievously, "You have a great butt! And those jeans show it!"

Grumbling, he turned to head back to the kitchen. "I'm leaving."

"No, wait, wait," Lorelai called with a laugh. Extending her hand, she reached across the counter for his and looked at him with loving eyes.

Looking back at her, he begrudgingly took her hand waiting for an explanation.

"I'm sorry I'm annoying you. I just know that within the next 24 hours all of the happiness in my body will probably be purged by my mother, so I figured I might as well be my normal, playful self before it goes away."

"Fine," he said with a small grin, unable to resist her charms, "Be annoying, I deal with that on a daily basis anyway." His smile grew larger when he noticed her offended look. "But, please, no comments about my butt."

"How about comments about your ass or tush… does that count," she countered, a playful glimmer appearing in her eyes.

This time, Luke didn't even bother to roll his eyes or sigh. "No. Say nothing about my butt, my ass, my tush, or any other name for my backside. In fact, don't say anything about any part of my body."

Before he could finish his statement, Lorelai began to laugh softly.

Narrowing his eyes at her, he questioned, "What?"

"I can't believe I just got you to say butt, ass, and tush in the same sentence."

Hearing Caesar placing a plate in the window, Luke turned and grabbed the order with an eye roll and placed it in front of her. "Here. Maybe this will quiet you down for a little while."

Gaping at the plate in front of her, Lorelai whined, "But I didn't order! What if this isn't what I wanted?"

Crossing his arms back in front of him, Luke countered confidently, "This is what you always order on Fridays… Is this what you wanted?"

Grinning, she nodded and leaned up, offering a kiss, and he happily obliged. "Thanks Luke."

Pulling away, he smirked and groaned impishly, "Man, the work." As he turned to grab the coffee pot to tend to other customers, Lorelai reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

Turning back, he noticed her smile. "What, Lorelai?"

"I just wanted you to know that I love you."

He couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. Grabbing her hand, he squeezed it gently. "Back 'atcha."

* * *

Knocking on the door at 6:15, Luke heard a faint "It's open!" called from inside. Walking through the foyer and into the living room, he found Lorelai digging through the desk drawer. "Hey, Lorelai? Is there a reason I'm wearing this blue tie and not the extremely expensive red one I had to buy the last time we went to your parents' house?"

Without turning to him, Lorelai spoke in a rush, "Sorry, Luke. No time to chat. We have 15 minutes to leave, and I just noticed that Rory's dress is missing some buttons on the back." Grabbing a small plastic baggy of off-white buttons, she exclaimed, "Aha, there they are!" Slamming the drawer quickly, she ran into Rory's room, leaving Luke behind in the living room.

Confused by what just happened, Luke sighed. "Okay then…" Striding over to the doorway of Rory's room, he looked in to see Lorelai crouched down behind a completely still Rory, attempting to quickly sew on the missing buttons. "Do you really think that your mother would notice a missing button or two?"

Without saying a word, Lorelai glanced over at with raised eyebrows and a knowing look.

"Right… I forgot. It's Emily Gilmore we're talking about here."

"I like your tie Daddy Luke," Rory spoke up with a smile, not affected by the stress exuding from her mother, "It matches my dress."

"Thanks Rory… So, Lorelai, _is_ there a reason I am wearing this tie?"

Not distracted from her work, she began sewing on another button. "Well, one time when I was younger, I repeated a dress two years apart, and my mother called me out on it. I wanted to save you from being badgered about your "inability to purchase more than one presentable tie," the last part, she spoke using her impersonation of her mother.

"And where did this tie come from?" He eyed her curiously.

"I had to make a trip to Hartford for Mia earlier this week, so while I was there, I made a quick stop at the mall and picked it up. I put it in your closet when I went upstairs this morning."

Shaking his head, Luke sighed. "Lorelai, you do not need to be buying my clothes…"

Putting her hand up to stop him, she replied sternly, "Nope. Stop right there. We are not having this conversation." Finishing the final button, Lorelai stood up and walked over to him, brushing the lint off of his shoulder. "You're my boyfriend; I'm gonna buy you stuff."

"I know you'd like to impress your parents, but you didn't have to do this."

"I know," she smiled, "But I wanted to. It wasn't expensive, so it was no big deal. Now come on, we've got to go."

Rory quickly scurried out of her room and into the foyer to get her shoes. Moving towards the door, Lorelai motioned for Luke to follow her, but he captured her wrist, holding her back. "Wait a second."

Groaning, she turned back towards him. "What? We've got to go, Luke. We can't be late."

Lacing his fingers through hers, Luke brought her hand up to his lips. "I just wanted you to know that you look beautiful."

From his one comment, her demeanor completely changed. Smiling brightly she took a step towards him. "Even without the curls? I know you like my hair better that way."

Tucking a stray strand behind her ear, he spoke confidently, "You wore your hair like this the day we first met. I thought you were beautiful then too."

Feeling the familiar tingle in her stomach that he always caused, she ducked her head as her cheeks blushed. "Thank you… You're sweet." Leaning towards him, Lorelai planted a short but intense kiss on his lips.

Luke's arms found their way around her waist as they parted, holding her to him.

Looking up at him with a smile, Lorelai rested her hands on his chest. "You always know just what to say to make me feel better."

"That's my job," Luke countered with a smile matching hers, "Now stop stressing. You look beautiful, Rory looks beautiful, and I look presentable enough that your mother shouldn't make too many comments about how I'm dressed."

"Oh, she'll probably say something," Lorelai spoke, rolling her eyes, "But just so you know, no matter what she says, you look pretty damn hot… and I'd show you right now if it didn't mean scarring Rory for life." Stepping out of his embrace, she straightened out his tie and looped her arm through his. "Come on, handsome, let's go."

* * *

After giving their coats to the maid, Lorelai and Luke walked hand in hand into the living room and Rory followed, clinging to Lorelai's other arm. Entering the room, they were met by Richard.

"Hello, Lorelai, Rory."

"Hi Grandpa!" Releasing her mother's arm, Rory skipped over, throwing herself at Richard for a hug.

Looking on with a grin, Lorelai spoke up. "She's been dying to see you Dad. Apparently, she finished the book you got her and wants to tell you about it."

Releasing her grandpa from her arms, Rory stepped back beaming, "The book was really good! I've read it twice!"

Chuckling at her excitement, he patted her back, "I'm glad you liked it, Rory."

After an awkward hug with Lorelai, Richard extended a hand to Luke. "It's nice to see you again, Luke. I'm glad you could make it."

"It's nice to see you as well, Mr. Gilmore. Thank you for the invite."

Making their way to the couch, as they all took a seat, Emily made her way into the kitchen.

"Oh, you're here already. Hello Lorelai. It's nice to see you Rory."

"Hi Mom." "Hi Grandma." Both mother and daughter spoke at the same time, but when Lorelai stopped, Rory continued. "Did you see? My Daddy Luke is here too."

A tight, and obviously fake smile appeared on her lips. "Of course. Hello, Luke. That is a very _interesting_ suit you're wearing."

Ignoring the comment about his clothes, Luke simply replied, "Hello, Mrs. Gilmore."

Standing up from his seat, Richard made his way over to the beverage cart. "Well everyone, sit, sit. Lorelai, Luke, can I get you anything to drink? How about a soda for you Rory?"

"Yeah, dad. A sprite is fine for Rory, and I'll take a gin martini with an olive." Putting her hand on Luke's thigh, Lorelai implored, "What about you, babe?"

Unseen by anyone in the room, Emily cringed at Lorelai's term of endearment.

Placing his hand on top of hers, Luke answered, "I think I'll just have a soda like Rory." At Richard's surprised look, he added, "I'm driving home tonight."

Nodding his head, Richard responded, "I can definitely respect that." Once everyone had their drinks, he took his seat and began speaking. "So, how have things been since the last time we saw each other?"

Quickly, Emily added slightly snidely, "Yes, how are things in Stars Willow."

Taking a generous sip of her drink, Lorelai prepared to answer when she heard Rory giggling next to her. Looking down, she questioned, "What's so funny, hon?"

Her giggles subsiding, Rory smiled. "Grandma said Stars Willow… that's a silly name. We live in Stars Hollow."

Amused by her daughter's innocent answer to her mother's purposefully wrong question, Lorelai grinned. "It is silly." Turning back to her parents, she cleared her throat. "Uh, things have been going pretty well, actually." Trying to keep attention from falling onto her life, she questioned back, "How was the Vineyard?"

"Oh it was wonderful, wasn't it Emily?"

The whole time Lorelai was talking, Emily had been eyeing the "family" in front of her critically. Pulled out of her trance by Richard's questioning, she answered, "It was. We had a very nice time."

"So, Luke," Richard prodded, "How is the diner business."

Surprised that a question was directed to him, Luke took a moment to answer. "Well, it's about the same as usual. People get hungry, and I feed them."

Suddenly feeling the need to speak, Emily added, "How popular is the diner business, anyway? I imagine that with such a _limited_ menu, people would get tired of the food after long."

Despite the fact that she didn't outright say anything bad about his business, both Luke and Lorelai could tell from Emily's tone that she disapproved of the diner business. Ready to jump to his defense, Lorelai opened her mouth to speak, but Luke squeezed her knee, causing her attention to fall on him. Looking at her with a knowing look, he shook his head, letting her know that he was going to answer. "Well, Mrs. Gilmore, there's enough variety on my menu to feed everyone's taste. I don't add things to the menu very often, but if I see a demand, I might try something new."

Narrowing her eyes at him, Lorelai frowned, knowing he never changed his menu, but her frown immediately faded with Rory's interjection. "He put my special milkshake on the menu, Grandma. It's yummy!"

With her granddaughter's defense of Luke, Emily bit back her response and Richard began asking his questions to Rory. "So, Rory, have you ready any new books lately?"

"Yes! And Daddy Luke took me to the library yesterday when Mommy was working, so I got another one to read!"

As Rory chatted with her grandfather, Luke turned his attention and could see Lorelai's small smile out of the corner of his eye. Turning toward her, he cocked his head, wondering what was on her mind.

Leaning in, Lorelai whispered in his ear. "You added a milkshake to the menu just because Rory wanted it?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he waved her off. "It was no big deal. I already had the ingredients, and I only added it to the menu that I have specially for her."

Despite the awareness of her mother's eyes on them, Lorelai placed a quick peck on Luke's lips. Whispering again, she answered, "It doesn't matter that it's only on her menu… you still added to it. It's a big deal to me. Thank you."

Instead of answering, Luke just smiled and laced his fingers through hers.

This was Emily Gilmore's worst nightmare. Her daughter might be in love with a man so beneath her. She didn't know if Lorelai loved him for sure, but she could tell by the look in her eyes that she cared a great deal for Luke. Even Rory was defending him and singing his praises. Eying Luke up and down, she tried to figure out what could be so appealing about such a disheveled man.

Deciding to remind Lorelai of what she could have, Emily spoke up. "So, Lorelai, have you heard form Christopher lately?"

Pulled from their intimate moment, both Luke and Lorelai visibly tensed. Swirling the glass that was in her left hand, Lorelai tried to keep her cool. "No mom. We haven't heard from him… not since Dad's party. But Rory's birthday is coming up, so there's a chance that he'll pop up for a few minutes and then return to his ever-changing hideout for another year."

Taking on a haughty tone, Emily answered, "Well, I think it's wonderful for him to show up for Rory's birthday. A girl needs her _father_. "

The obvious jab at Luke had Lorelai fuming.

Not stopping there, her mother turned her attention to Rory. "Rory, are you excited that your father is coming for your birthday?"

Her face wrinkling in confusion, Rory turned to Lorelai. "Mommy, Dad's coming? When?"

Staring down her mother with a glare, Lorelai reeled in her anger and took on a fake tone of calmness. "Sorry, sweets. I don't know. I haven't heard from him. Your _grandmother_ doesn't know if he's coming or not. She's just guessing."

Shrugging her shoulders, Rory looked to continue her conversation with Richard. "It's okay, I have Daddy Luke."

With a victorious smile appearing on her face, Lorelai looked over at her mother.

Breaking the tension in the room, the maid came in, announcing dinner.

Walking arm in arm to the dining room, Luke whispered to Lorelai sarcastically, "Well that was fun."

With an eye roll, she whispered in frustration. "I can't believe she had the audacity to question the diner and bring up Christopher."

Squeezing her hand, Luke smiled. "Well, thanks to Rory, all of those obvious insults were shot down."

Smiling back at him, Lorelai answered, "I've gotta hand it to the kid. She sure knows how to brag about her Daddy Luke. You'd think she likes you or something."


	22. Chapter 22: Gilmore Dinner Part 2

**Chapter 38: All I Need**

As everyone took their seats, the questions continued to be aimed at Rory.

"I hear you started the first grade," Richard spoke with interest, "How do you like it?" The mutual admiration between Rory and Richard was seen by everyone at the table.

"It's fun! We're learning about adjectives… I think that's what they're called. And Mrs. Elliot is teaching me how to add _two_ -digit numbers because I know how to add the little numbers already."

Both Luke and Lorelai couldn't help but smile at Rory's excitement.

"We're also writing stories about our summer. Mine is about when me and Mommy went shopping for our house."

At the conclusion of Rory's statement, everyone in the room froze. Lorelai, realizing that she hadn't told her parents about her latest purchase, shifted uncomfortably, reaching for Luke's hand under the table.

Clearing his throat, Richard spoke first. "Lorelai… You didn't tell us that you got a new house."

Taking a deep breath, she looked over and met her father's glance. The look she saw in his eyes was not one of anger, which reassured her. "Uh, yeah Dad. I did get a new house. It happened a little while after you guys left for the Vineyard."

At her confirmation, Lorelai saw two completely different reactions from her parents. Emily's eyes narrowed as her lips pursed, but from Richard, she was met with a soft smile.

"Well… that's a big deal. Congratulations."

Matching his smile with one of her own, she responded quietly, "Thank you Dad."

The only noise that soon filled the room was the sound of silverware clattering on plates.

Suddenly puzzled, Richard prodded, "Say, if you moved, how did the number I have for you work?"

Shrugging, Lorelai looked up from her plate. "I kept the same number that I had for the phone that Mia let me borrow at the inn."

"Well that was very kind of her."

"I know. She thought it would be easier for me to keep the number so I didn't have to change anything over. She said she didn't need that number for anything inn related anyway."

Out of the blue, Emily interrupted the conversation between father and daughter, her tone filled with dismay. "I'm sorry, but I think the phone number Lorelai has is the _last_ thing we should be concerned about."

Knowing an attack was probably coming, Lorelai tried to keep her emotions in check. "So, what should we be concerned about the, _mother_?"

"I'm concerned about _how_ you bought it. How in the world did you purchase a house, Loreai?"

Aware that her anger was about to get the better of her, Lorelai responded carefully, "Well, I bought the house with this thing called money that, as I found out, doesn't actually grow on trees."

Rolling her eyes, Emily countered sternly, "Lorelai, don't mock this situation. A maid's salary is hardly enough to buy a suitable home… That is, if you bought a suitable home. Did you even buy a livable space for your child?"

Slamming her fork loudly on the table, Lorelai spoke lowly. "Don't even insinuate that I would put Rory in a home that is not good enough for her to live in. Her wellbeing is the most important factor of every decision I make. I bought a good house; I even had some of Luke's professional inspector friends check it out before I signed the papers."

"Oh, well if _Luke's_ friends checked it out, it _must_ be fine," Emily responded, bitterness filling her voice.

Rory, unaware of the abhorrence in her grandmother's voice spoke up. "Mommy picked a good house. I love our house, Grandma. I have my own room, and Daddy Luke made me some shelves so that I have room for all my books!"

Seeing the happiness on her granddaughter's face, Emily tried to hold back her snide remark. "Well, either way, Lorelai, how am I supposed to believe that you were able to purchase a home?"

Calming down, hoping the dispute was ending, Lorelai added quietly, "I'm no longer a maid… I'm a manager now."

In an attempt to keep the conversation away from the house, and also out of pride in his daughter, Richard spoke with a smile. "That is quite the accomplishment, Lorelai. I'm proud of you for advancing your position."

"Thank you, Daddy."

Pursing her lips at her husband's complement, Emily was not deterred from the topic at hand. "It's no matter… Even with a slight change in salary, you and I both know that you don't have the means to purchase a house on your own."

Trying to interject, Richard pled, "Emily…" but his voice went unheard.

"Is that why you're still dating this man," Emily accused, "Did he help you?"

Knowing things were about to get out of hand, Lorelai shot her eyes over to Luke. "Luke, please…"

Emily, confused by Lorelai's plea, looked over to see Luke, who was clearly working his jaw, trying to keep from getting involved in the argument. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and answered, "I know." Walking around the table, he picked up Rory to take her out of the room.

"And just where do you think you're taking Rory?" Emily questioned hatefully.

"Mom… stop. Let him go. I am not having Rory in the room to hear the rest of this conversation." As soon as he left the room, in a cool, warning voice, Lorelai continued, "I'm with Luke because I love him. I would never be so shallow to date someone for their money."

Shaking her head in disbelief, her mother countered snidely, "Well, it's a genuine concern… How is the money situation, Lorelai? How is your money holding up?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your money! I'm not completely aware of what your financial situation was before you took this on, but I know for a fact that you couldn't have enough money to successfully purchase a house without help. How much do you have left?"

Amazed that her mother had the boldness to question her like she was, Lorelai responded, raising her voice. "Plenty! I have plenty of money left, mother!"

Not wanting his wife to push their daughter away again, Richard tried to interject. "Emily, I'm not so sure this is the time to discuss this."

"Why of course it is Richard!"

"No, it's not mom! This was supposed to be a civil family meal…" Lorelai spat, her voice dripping with anger, "But I guess you're gonna drag it out of me anyway, so _yes_ , I got a loan! Is that what you wanted to hear? I _don't_ have enough money to do to buy something outright, so I used my other option! I know loans and the Gilmores don't go together, but I did what I had to do for me and for Rory!"

"Emily, Lorelai is a grown woman," Richard pled, "I don't like the idea of her taking out loan either, but she has, and there is nothing we can do about it now."

"You're being ridiculous, Richard! This is a family. It's a family's responsibility to make sure this doesn't happen. We have a reputation to uphold! How would it look if our friends found out that _our_ daughter _failed_ in making enough money and turned to a bank?"

"Failed," Lorelai questioned loudly in disbelief, "Now I'm a failure because I used my resources to provide a home for my daughter? Are you kidding me?" Pushing her chair back from the table, Lorelai stood up and turned directly to her mother. "You know what? I don't give a damn anymore!"

Cut off by her father, Richard scolded, "Lorelai, language. Do not talk to your mother that way."

Shooting all of her anger over toward him, she countered, "No Dad! I'm tired of having this conversation over and over again!" Turning back to face her mother, Emily could see the fire in Lorelai's eyes. "You may see me as a failure, mother, but I am no longer under your roof, so I don't give a damn what you think about me anymore. I am happy! I am so happy! I have the most amazing child and boyfriend, and I have a town full of crazies who love and support me anytime I need it! They are all I need! So you can take your opinions of me and shove them in the same place that you hide the love you're supposed to have for me!"

Following her outburst, neither of her parents had a response. With tears stinging her eyes, Lorelai stormed out of the dining room, preventing herself from breaking down in front of them. On her way out, she heard Richard command in a low voice, "Emily… that was completely uncalled for."

* * *

Hearing her coming, Luke got up from the couch with Rory and met her at the door. After retrieving their coats, all three went out the door, never looking back.

The drive back to Lorelai's house was silent. Too silent for Luke's liking. In the back seat, Rory had fallen asleep about five minutes after they left the elder Gilmore home. Next to him, Lorelai sat, head in her hands, completely quiet.

As they pulled into the driveway, Lorelai finally looked up; a distraught look filled her face. Turning to him, she uttered quietly, "You don't have to say." Reaching for the door, she was stopped by Luke grabbing her arm.

"I don't have to, but I'm going to."

Without being asked, Luke gathered Rory from the back seat, taking her inside. As he placed her on the bed, he turned to Lorelai, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you get her changed and tucked in then head up to bed? I'll wash whatever dishes are in the sink and lock up." As she nodded her head slightly in agreement, Luke turned to leave the room.

After the water filled the sink, he stole a glance into Rory's room and saw Lorelai lingering a little longer than usual on the edge of Rory's bed, looking at her daughter with what appeared to be eyes full of doubt. Catching his gaze as she walked out of her daughter's room, Lorelai smiled a sad smile and turned to head upstairs.

Walking into the bedroom 10 minutes later, Luke found Lorelai sitting on the end of her bed, dressed in the flannel she confiscated, crying with her head in her hands. Silently and immediately, he made his way over, gathering her into his arms and pulling her down with him onto the bed, letting her get it get it all out.

Once her sobs subsided, a hoarse "I'm sorry," escaped her lips.

"For what," Luke pressed tenderly, planting a kiss to her temple.

Shaking her head, she wiped her eyes and sat up, "I didn't mean to lose it. I thought I'd be done crying before you got up here. You shouldn't have to deal with me like this."

"Then who else will deal with you like this? Rory?"

"I normally just keep this stuff to myself… I've been doing it for years, and I can continue to. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Pulling her shoulder lightly, he brought her back down to him and sighed. "Lorelai, I will always worry about you… What do you need me to do?"

When she looked back at him, Luke could see the vulnerability in her eyes.

"You know that 'making me feel better' thing we talked about earlier," Lorelai mumbled hesitantly.

"Yeah."

"I could really use that right now," she added softly, snuggling into his side.

Trailing his fingers through her hair, Luke countered her. "I don't think there's anything I can say… I just think you need to get it all out."

As much as she tried to, Lorelai couldn't meet his gaze. Not sure she wanted to tell him everything, she whispered a quiet, "I can't…"

"Lorelai…" Tilting her face up to his, Luke brought her lips to his in a passionate kiss. "I love you." Stroking her hair back from her face, he added, "Baby, you can talk to me."

Despite the sorrow she felt, his use of the pet name for her caused a bit of happiness to shoot through her. Realizing the sincerity in his voice, she finally looked him in the eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything… anything you want me to know… What was life like as Lorelai Gilmore?"

Releasing her breath, Lorelai wore a shaky grin. "I don't think you really want to know… You say you do, but…"

"Hey," Luke prodded tenderly, "I've told you a lot of my life's story and about Rachel, and you have listened every time. It's my turn to listen to you."

Hesitating, she answered with a breathy, "Okay." Kissing him short but full of emotion, Lorelai spoke slowly. "Babe, living in the Gilmore household was like living in prison; I was never allowed to make a mistake. I would get punished for the most innocent things. When I was around Rory's age, I accidentally knocked a cup of juice onto my dress while I was eating dinner with my dad. When my mother came in and saw the stain, she sent me to my room for the rest of the night. I cried myself to sleep… What she didn't realize was that I heard her voice when she came in the door, and I knocked my juice into my lap because I was rushing to get up to see her! She had been out of down for a DAR function that Dad and I couldn't go to, and I was just excited to see her! Can you imagine a time when I was _actually_ excited to see Emily?"

Simply shaking his head in disbelief, Luke pressed, "Go on."

"Luke, my life was filled with circumstances like that. Every time I did something wrong, I felt like I was a disappointment. My parents never noticed the good things I did… only the bad. Everything culminated my freshman year when I started at Saint Paul's. I was successful. I was at the top of my class, and I worked hard, but it still wasn't enough. I had 'acquaintances' but they weren't real friends… I was just a social obligation. I tried as hard as I could to find something to hold on to, some kind of solid ground, but no matter what I did, I felt alone. I was failing. One night, I overheard my parents arguing about me _again_ , and I just couldn't take it anymore! I was just a burden to everyone. The combination of the hell at school and the hell at home just made me feel worthless. That night, I went over to this girl Missy's house, and I took a few too many pills… Next thing I knew, I was waking up in ICU."

Just the thought of Lorelai not being alive caused overwhelming emotion to flood through Luke. "No Lorelai, no…" he pled ardently, pulling her tighter against him.

Luke could feel her tears starting to soak through his shirt again as she sniffled. "I know, Babe… Looking back on it, I regret it. But at the time, I was a 14-year-old girl in a hopeless place without anyone to turn to. Ending the pain was what I wanted to do, and in my mind, that was the only way to do it," she spoke hoarsely. Pulling back, she wiped some of the tears from her face. "When I got out of the hospital, everything was fine for a while, but then everything went back to normal… That was when I turned to Chris. We had been friends my whole life, and he was the only person who I felt understood me. When he got kicked out of St. Jude's and his parents put him in St Paul's, we started partying and drinking together… anything to make us forget the feelings of worthlessness inside of us. That's how we ended up with Rory. One night, we got drunk. We had already started dating, and I wanted to feel something, anything, so I slept with him."

Looking up, she met him with bright, tear-filled eyes. "Then, when that strip turned pink, I finally had meaning to my life. There was a little baby inside of me, and I knew it was there just for me. I had gone through hell and back, and I know that getting pregnant would be the final blow for most people, but, for me, it was my thread of hope. I finally had something that I could pour all of myself into that would truly love me right back. I was no longer going to be a complete failure." As she finished, the dam broke loose, and her sobbing began again.

"You're not a failure," Luke whispered sternly, "Your mother was wrong. You haven't failed."

"In her mind I have Luke," she choked out. Gathering herself, Lorelai continued. "I can't do anything right. I'm just here to tarnish 'the great Gilmore name.' I didn't think I was failing by buying this house. I only wanted the best for Rory." As she continued to speak, Luke could see the doubt gathering in her eyes. "Maybe she was right. Maybe I needed to save a little more. I could have gotten a safer house that wouldn't need as much work… Maybe I'm just a failure after all."

Placing both hands on her cheeks, Luke stared her straight in the eye. "Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, you listen to me. Do not let Emily get to you. You have done _nothing_ wrong regarding this house, your job, anything… You have done _everything_ possible to give Rory the best life. You work your ass off _every day_ to provide for yourself and her, and you have done a damn good job at it. You never have been and never will be a failure."

Shaking her head, she countered sadly, "You have to say that… You're my boyfriend."

Stilling her movements, Luke answered, "Well then ask anyone in this town. We all know how amazing of a mother you are and how great of a person you are. You are _not_ a failure, Lorelai."

Swallowing hard, she absorbed the enormity and sincerity of his words. Leaning towards his chest, Lorelai curled the rest of her body into him, forcing him to wrap himself completely around her. Quietly, she spoke muffled into his chest. "I love you so much Luke."

"I love you too, so much." Soothingly, he began to run his fingers through her hair and down her back. Feeling her starting to relax, he whispered, "You can go to sleep now… It's been a rough night."

Nodding against him, Lorelai planted a kiss to his cotton clad chest.

Laying in silence, with their limbs tangled and their bodies pressed together, Lorelai clung to Luke until sleep overtook her, and his sleep followed close behind.

* * *

Around 5:30 am, Luke's internal alarm clock woke him up. Looking down, he found Lorelai's head on his shoulder, her arm draped over his chest, and their legs intertwined. Doing his best not to wake her, he began to shift, but was met with her arm tightening over his torso.

Looking at her, he was met with a sleepy smile. Placing a kiss on her forehead, Luke whispered a quiet, "Hey."

Her voice still hoarse from sleep, Lorelai responded with an almost inaudible, "Hey."

"How'd you sleep? I hope I made a good pillow." Wiggling under her, he showed her just how far on top of his body she was.

"Sorry." Laughing softly, Lorelai went to move.

Tightening his grip around her, Luke pulled her completely on top of him. "No, it's fine." Running his fingers through her untamed hair, he wrapped the now wavy ringlets around his finger. "How are you feeling?"

A sad smile appeared on Lorelai's face. "I'm alright, better than I was last night… Thank you for staying and for listening. I've never told anyone all of that."

Glad he could be her confidant, he placed another kiss to her forehead. "There's nowhere else I wanted to be." Noticing the genuine smile appear on her face, Luke questioned, "What?"

"You know… While I was trying to fall asleep, I realized something."

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

Shifting slightly, Lorelai moved to rest her cheek on his chest, taking in the steady sound of his heart beat, as she spoke softly. "Well, I realized that even though my mother tries to make my life total hell, I still have a lot that is good." Poking his chest, she added, "And you helped me realize that."

Knowing she had more to say, Luke nodded simply nodded and added a sympathetic, "Okay."

"I mean, I've got this house, which is something I thought I could only _dream_ about having. You were right; I have no regrets about buying it… I've got my job at the inn that I _do_ work my ass off at, that has provided me with stability since I was 16… I've got Rory." Spacing out for a second, slight tears pooled in her eyes. Continuing with a voice full of emotion, she added, "I've told you, Luke, she saved my life. She's the first person to make me feel love unconditionally. I've done so many wrong things, but she doesn't even care. She's my perfect little girl."

"She's an amazing kid… and she's got an amazing mom."

Despite the intenseness of the conversation, Lorelai's face was immediately filled with her trademark bright smile. "And then there's you… Sometimes, you piss me off more than anyone else in this world, but I don't care because I love you… It's funny, because even on the days where I feel like the biggest screw up, you never fail to make me feel anything but amazing in the end… I don't get it."

Shrugging nonchalantly, Luke answered, "It's because you are…"

Leaning down, she planted a long, slow kiss on his lips. "Have I ever told you how much I love sappy Luke," she questioned breathlessly when they broke apart.

Laughing softly, Luke pecked her lips once more for good measure. "You may have mentioned that before."

"It's not that I don't like grumpy diner Luke, flirting Luke, or Macho-Mr. Fix-It-Man Luke…"

"Macho-Mr. Fix-It-Man Luke?" Cutting her off, Luke questioned her with a smirk.

Slapping his chest playfully, she laughed happily. "Just let me finish! I'm trying to be sappy like you… Anyway, it's not like I don't love every single part of you, but I think I like it when sappy Luke shows up behind closed doors… It makes me feel special. You don't do this with anyone else." Dropping a kiss to his cheek, she smiled. "I love you, Luke."

"I love you too."

Not even trying to stifle the yawn that rose out of her, Lorelai sighed, "I'm so tired."

"You had a hard night." Adjusting under her, Luke moved to where she could lie comfortably against him. "There… You can go back to sleep."

"Don't you have to open today?"

"I was supposed to, but I called Caesar last night after I locked up and asked him to cover. I didn't want you to wake up this morning alone."

Her eyes filled with obvious love, Lorelai ginned widely. "You are the best, Luke Danes." Laying her head down, she snuggled back against him, and in no time, they both found themselves falling back asleep.

* * *

Later in the morning, Luke felt a poking on his side.

"Pssst. Daddy Luke."

At first, he thought it was a dream, but realized quickly that it was Rory.

Gently moving Lorelai over to her side, Luke sat up slowly. "You okay, Rory," he asked groggily, still trying to clear the fog from his brain.

"Shhh," she answered, holding her finger over her lips. Taking his free hand, Rory grabbed him and pulled.

Standing up, Luke followed her out into the hall. When they were far enough away from the room, he finally questioned, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Rory turned around and replied with a smile, "I just need your help."

When they finally reached the kitchen, Luke walked in to see an empty pop tart packet and a mug sitting on the table.

"What do you need help with?"

Stretching, Rory grabbed the coffee container off of the counter. "Can you make some coffee?"

Narrowing his eyes at her, Luke questioned, "Didn't your mom say you couldn't have coffee until you are 12?" Twelve was an age that he found far too young, but that was a conversation for another time.

Shaking her head, she handed him the container. "It's not for me. It's for Mommy." Suddenly, the toaster popped up, and the kitchen was filled with a loud, "They're done!"

Before Luke could think clearly enough to stop her, Rory hopped up on to the chair she pushed over by the counter and started trying to pull the pop tarts out of the toaster. Reaching for the pastries, she pulled her hand back suddenly, almost burning herself.

Thinking she had actually burnt her hand, Luke fearfully yelled, "Hey, be careful Rory! You're gonna burn yourself!" Immediately by her side, he pulled her off the chair and got the pop tarts on to a plate. Turning around, he saw a stiff Rory with tears in her eyes. "What's wrong? Did you burn your hand? Let me see." Crouching down, he took her little hands in his.

Shaking her head, she frowned. "I'm sorry Daddy Luke. I just wanted to make pop tarts."

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, he reassured her. "It's okay, Rory. I wasn't getting on to you. You just scared me. I didn't want you to burn yourself." Looking at her hands closely, Luke checked her fingers for injury. Relieved to find none, he sighed. "Next time you want to use the toaster, let me or Mommy know. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Okay… I'm sorry." Throwing her arms around his neck, Rory squeezed Luke tightly. "Can you still make Mommy some coffee?"

Pecking her cheek, as someone like a father would, Luke stood up and grabbed the discarded coffee container. "I can." Walking over to the machine, he questioned, "Rory, why do you want me to make coffee?"

"It will make Mommy happy," she answered in no time, her face filled with a smile.

After starting the brew, Luke turned around to face her. "Is that why you tried to make pop tarts?"

"Mhm… when I'm sad, Mommy makes me pop tarts and juice for breakfast. Mommy was sad about Grandma last night, so I want to make her pop tarts and coffee."

Once again amazed by the thought process of the five-year-old, even though he was appalled by their breakfast of choice, Luke grinned. "I think she'll love it."

Once the coffee finished brewing, Luke carried the plate and mug as Rory bounded up the stairs and into her mother's room.

Jumping on the bed, she pushed on Lorelai's shoulder. "Mommy, Mommy, wake up!"

Stirring, Lorelai groaned. Once the voice registered with her, her eyes popped open and she sat up quickly. "Rory? Is everything okay?" Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she looked over to see her daughter grinning.

"I'm okay, Mommy. I made you breakfast… Daddy Luke helped."

Still slightly disoriented, Lorelai looked over at the doorway to see Luke with her "breakfast" in hand.

Walking over, Luke placed the plate in her lap and the mug on his nightstand.

Looking at him curiously, Lorelai eyed him up and down, knowing he would never give her pop tarts willingly.

Knowing what she was thinking when he saw her look, he explained. "Our girl here woke me up because she needed help making the coffee… This was all her idea."

Taking Rory's hands in hers, Lorelai questioned her daughter interestedly. "What did you do this for, hon?"

As if the answer required no thought, Rory quickly responded, "When I'm sad, you make me pop tarts and juice. I don't want you to be sad, so Daddy Luke helped me make pop tarts and coffee."

Pulling Rory too her, Lorelai smiled. "Thank you, Rory."

Tilting her head up, she planted a kiss on her mother's cheek and hugged her tightly. "You're welcome, Mommy."

Getting herself comfortable, Lorelai leaned back against the headboard, grabbing Rory and pulling her into her lap. Picking up a pop tart off of the plate, she broke it in half and handed part to her daughter. "Here's your piece for all your hard work."

Looking over at Luke, Lorelai reached out and patted the spot beside her. "You gonna stand there all day, or are you gonna join us?"

Walking over, Luke sat down on the bed and scooted towards them, getting comfortable on his side again.

With a smirk, Lorelai extended the pop tart in her hand to in front of his mouth.

Turning his head away, Luke grumbled, "I might have helped getting them out of the toaster, but I'm not helping you eat them."

Despite his opposition, she didn't move her hand.

Making the mistake of looking back at her, Luke noticed the pout forming on her lips. "Lorelai," he warned.

Forcing her lip to protrude lower, Lorelai whined, "But it will help me feel better."

Rolling his eyes, he groused, "Stuffing me with sugar will make you feel better?"

With a small smile, she nodded her head and added an innocent, "Mhmm."

Sighing, Luke obliged. Taking a bite, he grimaced as both of the girls laughed. "That's disgusting." Reaching over to the night stand, he grabbed the mug tried to hand it to her, hoping it would force her to put her pop tart on the plate and away from his face. "Here… now get that away from me."

Giving into his wishes, Lorelai took a generous sip of the coffee and sat it on her side's night stand. Lacing her fingers through his, she smiled. "Thank you, Luke."

Nodding, he questioned, "Do you need anything else?"

Shaking her head, she looked into his eyes. "I have everything I need."

Catching her double meaning, he smiled. "Good." Squeezing her hand, he brought it to his lips. "Me too…"


	23. Chapter 23: Week of Gloom

**Chapter 39: Week of Gloom**

Monday morning quickly arrived, forcing Lorelai back into her daily routine.

"Rory, it's 6:50! We only have about 10 minutes until we need to get to leave," Lorelai called from the bottom of the stairs, slipping her heels onto her feet.

Appearing by her side quickly, Rory smiled. "I'm already ready, Mommy."

Looking down at her daughter, she noticed that she was, in fact, almost completely ready. "Okay. I put your headband on the counter in the bathroom. Go put that in your hair and brush it while I finish getting ready."

As Rory scurried off, the silence of the house was filled with a sharp ringing. Realizing that it was the phone, Lorelai walked over and picked it up, wondering who would be calling this early. "Hello?"

"Hello, Lorelai."

Recognizing the voice immediately, she stiffened. "Uh, hi dad…" She spoke carefully, not sure of what else to say.

Clearing his throat, Richard responded confidently, "So, I was calling to apologize for dinner Friday night. I know it's early, but this is the only reasonable time I have open in my schedule."

"It's fine," she reassured hesitantly, "Dad, you don't…"

Knowing where she was headed, he cut her off. "No, Lorelai. I have to. I promised you a civil dinner, and things did not go as planned. I am truly sorry."

Wanting to be angry, but knowing he was not the one she was angry with, Lorelai spoke calmly. "You have nothing to apologize for. You tried to interrupt and stop it… It was all mom."

"I understand your thought process, and I agree that your mother was the instigator, but I should have tried harder to stop the conversation. I don't want you to believe that you are a failure. I'm proud of you, Lorelai."

Standing in shock, Lorelai realized that she heard something she never thought she would her, genuine sorrow and concern from her father. "It's okay Dad," she reassured, "I forgive you." If she hadn't listened hard enough, she wouldn't have noticed the sigh of relief from the other end, and quickly, a smile appeared on her face.

"Okay, well thank you…"

Lorelai could tell he wanted to ask more, but he faltered off into an awkward silence. In her gut, she felt that she needed to say more. "Dad… you should know that you're not the one I am upset with. Just because I am in a bad place with mom right now doesn't mean I feel that way about us too. Our previous agreement still stands. If you're willing to see us without mom… I have a feeling Rory still wants to see you. She really likes being around you."

"I enjoy her company immensely, Lorelai, but I also hate doing things without your mother."

"Well I guess we've got a tough situation on our hands, then…" she added, sadness slightly tinging her voice.

"I guess we do."

Sighing, Lorelai added, "Listen dad… I've got to finish getting ready for work, but you can call me when you decide what you want to do."

"I can do that… Have a good day, Lorelai. Tell Rory I said hello."

Suddenly, it dawned on her that they might not see him for a while. Wanting to make Rory, and her father, happy, Lorelai interjected quickly before he could hang up. "Uh, wait, Dad."

"Yes, Lorelai?"

"Before you go… Did you want to talk to Rory? I have to finish getting ready, but she can chat."

"I would love to." Hearing the sudden happiness in his voice, she smiled.

"Okay. Hold on one second." Turning the phone away from her mouth, Lorelai called out, "Rory! Someone wants to talk to you!"

The sound of little feet stomping down the stairs filled the room, and Rory finally made it to the phone, fully dressed and ready to go. "Who is it?"

"It's your grandpa."

"Really?" With a bright smile, she took the phone from Lorelai and spoke excitedly, "Hi grandpa."

Listening from the top of the stairs, Lorelai could hear Rory chat animatedly with her father. Turning and heading to finish getting ready, she couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face.

* * *

Running over to claim her favorite table, Rory climbed into the chair as Lorelai walked over to the counter. Luke, scrubbing hard at the counter, didn't even notice their arrival. As the ringing of the bells finally registered in his head, he looked up to see Lorelai wearing a smile. Dropping the rag, Luke picked up the order pad and spoke gruffly. "What can I get for you?"

"Wow… with that warm of a welcome, I'm surprised this place isn't packed."

Sighing, he looked at her with a frustrated frown. "Lorelai…"

Realizing that he wasn't playing and was genuinely in a bad mood, she reached over the counter for his hand. "Hey… Is everything okay?"

"The toaster broke earlier, and I tried to use the backup toaster, and it isn't working either. If I hear one more complaint from someone because they got a biscuit instead of toast _even though_ I told them I didn't have toast in the first place, I might lose it."

A sympathetic frown appeared on Lorelai's face. "I'm sorry, Luke."

"It's okay… there's nothing you can do about it."

"So, does that mean that French toast isn't an option?"

Looking at her plainly, he answered, "French toast isn't made in a toaster."

"Oh, my mistake," Lorelai countered, grinning mischievously.

Rolling his eyes, Luke placed the order pad back on the counter. "Are you trying to be cute?"

"If I was?"

"Then it's not working."

"Darn," she smiled, snapping her fingers for emphasis. Squeezing his hand, Lorelai added sympathetically, "Really, babe… I'm sorry you're having a bad day. If you could just make some French toast for me and Rory with some coffee and chocolate milk, we'll eat fast and get out of your hair."

Shaking his head, Luke grabbed her mug from the shelf and filled it with coffee. "Don't rush… I don't want my mood to put you out. Give me a few minutes, and I'll bring your food out."

"If you're sure… Why don't you join us?"

Looking around the diner, and seeing that it wasn't outrageously busy, Luke agreed. "I guess I can do that."

Leaning over, she offered him a kiss to which he quickly obliged. Pulling back, she smiled. "Good… it's been a while since we've all had breakfast here."

A few minutes later, Luke returned with their breakfasts and with a plate of his own. Before he could get seated, Rory stood up in her seat and wrapped her little arms as far as they could reach around his torso. "Good morning, Daddy Luke."

Without hesitation, he hugged her back. "Good morning, Rory." Sitting her down in her chair, Luke shot his glance over to Lorelai as he sat down. Seeing her smile, he mouthed, "Thank you."

Taking a sip of his juice, Luke looked back over to Rory and asked, "So, are you ready for school this morning?"

With a mouth already full of toast, she nodded and gave a muffled, "Mhmm." Swallowing quickly, she added, "I get to be the line leader this week! And, I get to feed Winston, he's our hamster in class!"

Smiling at her enthusiasm, Luke answered, "That sounds like fun."

"That's what grandpa said."

"Grandpa?"

Placing her fork down on her plate, Lorelai wiped her mouth and spoke hesitantly. "Uh, yeah. Dad called while we were getting ready this morning.:

"And I got to talk to him for five whole minutes," Rory exclaimed, holding out her hand and showing all five fingers for emphasis.

"Wow… five minutes? That's a long time."

The conversation continued to flow freely as they ate together. A little while later, Lorelai looked down at her watch, shocked by the time she saw. "Oh, Rory! It's 7:24. We've got to get going soon if we want to make it to school on time.

"Okay!" Putting her cup of milk down, Rory was about to put her book bag on when Lorelai stopped her.

"Not so fast, hon. You know the drill. You've gotta get rid of your sticky hands before you go to class. Go wash up."

"Oh yeah." Turning quickly, she scurried off, leaving Luke and Lorelai at the table.

Shifting back to look at him, Lorelai noted the smile on Luke's face. "Someone is in a better mood than when I got here…"

Ducking his head in embarrassment, Luke added a quiet, "Yeah…"

"There's no bad mood that the love and excitement of a five year old can't fix."

"I've figured that out." Taking her hand from across the table, Luke continued, "Thanks for that, by the way. I know that hug didn't come out of nowhere."

"Well, actually, little miss detective noticed that you were in a bad mood, and she asked me if you were sad. I just told her that you were having a bad day and that a hug might be nice."

"It was, thanks… So, your dad called?" He questioned, changing the subject.

Grimacing, Lorelai looked down at her lap. "Yeah… he called to apologize. I told him that I forgive him, but that he isn't the one I am upset with. I also told him that our agreement to see each other every once in a while without mom still stands, but I don't know if he wants to."

Raising his eyebrows, Luke questioned, shock filling his voice. "He doesn't want to see you and Rory?"

"It's not that he doesn't want to see us in general, I think, but it's that he wants mom involved… I mean, I get it. She is his wife. When I went to see them, I brought you along. I just hope that he will do it for Rory. I can live without seeing my parents, but I don't want Rory's life to be like mine was. I want her to have as much family and as many people who love her as possible." A smile spread across her face as she saw Rory scampering back over to the table. "Speaking of…"

Standing between their chairs, Rory showed both of them her hands. "My hands aren't stick anymore, see!"

Taking Rory's hands in hers, Lorelai examined them. "Well, they don't feel sticky, and I don't see any syrup, so I think we're good to go."

Both Luke and Lorelai stood up, and she planted a light kiss on his lips. "Thanks for breakfast. We'll be in for dinner later tonight. I hope your day gets better."

"Me too," he smiled, returning her peck, "I'll see you guys later." Patting Rory on the head, he added, "See you later, Rory."

"Bye Daddy Luke!"

* * *

The rest of the week was going to be better… or so they thought. Despite their high hopes, Luke was forced to come face to face with problems. Along with Monday's toaster fiasco, one of the coffee makers quit working on Tuesday, his deliveries were somehow short a few items on Wednesday, and the phone stopped working for most of the day on Thursday… Needless to say, he was completely frustrated by Friday.

Walking into the diner after dropping Rory off at school, Lorelai entered to see Luke wearing the same scowl he'd been wearing since the beginning of the week. Deciding she wanted to help, she walked around the counter and grabbed his hand. "Alright Gumpelstiltskin, drop the rag and come with me."

Instead of chastising her like he normally would, he surrendered and followed her into the storage room. "Why are we in here," he questioned gruffly as soon as she closed the door.

Saying nothing and wrapping her arms around his front, Lorelai pulled Luke to her, forcing him to lean into her embrace.

Still tense against her, he questioned again, "Lorelai… Why are we in here?"

"Relax Luke." Starting to trail her hands up and down his back, she spoke calmly. "I thought you might want a moment of peace before I head to work… How's the morning been so far?"

Giving in and relaxing against her, Luke answered quickly but didn't lose he gruff tone. "So far, fine. But with the way everything has been going this week, that's likely to change."

"I'm sorry you're having such a rough week. I'd take some of the badness if I could to give you a break."

"I know you would." Tightening his grip around her, he continued, "But I'll be fine… It's just one of those weeks."

"I don't like to see you like this… what can I do?"

Planting a kiss to her neck, he finally softened his tone. "Just keep being you."

"I can do that…" Lorelai smiled. Enjoying the feeling of his lips trailing across her neck, she sighed softly. "Mmmm… but can we do something else too?"

Not pulling back, he mumbled against her, "What did you have in mind?"

"Why don't you come over tonight? It's not a school night, so Rory can stay up a little later, and we'll just hang out at the house. We haven't had much of that this week."

Sighing, he pulled back with a frown. "I don't know. With everything that has been happening here, I might need to stay until closing to make sure that nothing else happens."

"Or you could come over and let Caesar call if something happens. You've closed almost every day this week, whether you were scheduled to or not."

Prepared to counter her, Luke began, "Lorelai, I…"

"Luke…" Lorelai cut him off, using the same stern tone he had but immediately softening, "Give yourself a break."

Pushing the heels of his hands onto his eyes, he released a stress filled breath. "I guess I could do that… I've hated not spending time with you and Rory this week."

A sympathetic smile appeared on Lorelai's lips at his admission. "Then there's your reason to come over tonight. Let us make you feel a little bit better."

"Okay. I'll probably be over around 8."

"How about 6," she countered.

"I need to be here for the dinner rush… 7 is my final offer."

"I accept," Lorelai resigned, her smile turning into a naughty smirk. "That's the time I wanted anyway. I knew that whatever time I offered, you'd take the middle time…"

Narrowing his eyes at her, Luke countered, "Maybe I'll just show up at 7:30 then."

Shaking her head, she spoke with a knowing tone. "Nope, sorry Mr. Danes. You already agreed to the terms. You can't go back on your promise now."

"Well according to our favorite five-year-old, a promise requires a pinky swear, and we didn't, Ms. Gilmore." Taking a step back from her, Luke laced his hands behind his back.

Winging her eyebrow at him, Lorelai questioned, "Are you really gonna make me fight you for a pinky swear?"

With a nonchalant shrug, he took another step back. "If you want it, you have to get it."

Taking her stance, Lorelai prepared to chase him. "Alright, but you can't blame me if I knock those pickles, which are _insanely_ close to the edge, off of the shelf when I chase you around this room."

Shooting his glance over to the shelf, Luke scanned it curiously. "What pick…"

Before he could finish, he found himself caught in Lorelai's arms, her face dangerously close to his. Despite the fact that she knew he could easily break free, Lorelai spoke a happy, "Made you look!"

As hard as he tried, Luke couldn't keep the scowl on his face. "You're a cheater."

"All is fair in love and pinky promises, babe." Grabbing his arms and bringing them from behind his back, Lorelai placed them around her waist and pecked his lips. "How about we lock lips instead of fingers." Lifting her arms up to around his neck, she drew him in for a deep kiss.

Taking his fill of her, Luke pulled back breathless.

Lorelai smiled. "So you're coming at 7?"

"I think I might need a little more convincing." Luke smirked, resting his forehead against hers.

"That can be arranged." Bringing his lips back to hers, they continued kissing. Finally pulling back with swollen lips, Lorelai smiled. "How about now?"

Satisfied, Luke nodded. "I'll be there, on your door step, at 7."

"Sounds good to me. Rory and I will have the pizza waiting."

Groaning playfully, Luke grumbled. "Because an artery clogging pie of dead animals, sugar-filled tomato sauce, and cheese is just what I want after a long day at work."

Laughing, Lorelai answered. "Don't worry. We'll order your health pizza too…"

Shaking his head, he sighed. "I'm still bringing salad, though."

"As long as you're the one eating it."

For a few minutes, they just stood there, Luke enjoying the feeling of one of her hands tangling in the curls at the bottom of his cap.

Looking over at her watch, Lorelai sighed. "I wish I could stay here all day, but I have about 10 minutes until I need to leave."

"I'm guessing you want food?" Luke asked as he traced his fingers across the small of her back.

Relishing in his ministrations, a playful look appeared in Lorelai's eyes. Planting another slow kiss on his lips, she spoke. "Well, I was gonna ask for breakfast, but I can get some from Sookie at the inn." Sliding her hands down his torso, she brought them around to his back pockets. "Wanna neck?"

Snorting a laugh, Luke smiled. "Way to be subtle." Before she could respond, he brought his lips hard to hers."

Pulling back with a grin, Lorelai spoke happily. "Well, someone is open to my idea."

"I'd be a fool not to be," he growled back. Quickly, she found herself pushed against the wall and his lips back on hers.

As he moved across her jaw like, she released a content sigh. "I get the feeling this is going to be a very good day."

* * *

Adjusting her top as she hopped out of the jeep and into the inn parking lot, Lorelai's mind was still on Luke and his bad week. While trying to figure out their plan for the night, an idea popped into her head. In the lobby, after taking care of a few customers, she picked up the phone, hoping he would be okay with having a few more people over than planned.

After two rings, the call was answered with a bright, "Hello?"

"Hey Maisy, it's Lorelai."

"Well, hello, Lorelai. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if there was any way that you and Buddy could take the night off."

Opening the drawer at the desk she was sitting at, Maisy pulled out the employee schedule for the day. "I think we could pull that off. What's the occasion, honey?"

"Luke's had a pretty rough week, and I thought that a night with family would cheer him up. I was hoping that you guys and Mia could come over tonight to have dinner with us."

"That sounds like a great idea. I'll make sure we're there. What time were you thinking?"

Smiling at Maisy's acceptance, Lorelai answered, "Well, Luke said he would be over at 7, so maybe you and Buddy could be at my house around 6:45 to make sure you're there to surprise him."

"Alright, then we will definitely be there. Did you want us to bring anything?"

"Oh no," Lorelai quickly reassured, "You don't have to do that. I was gonna ask my friend Sookie to help me get some stuff together."

"Nonsense. We've been cooking for Lucas for years, so we know what he likes. Let Buddy and me bring the food over."

"If you want to, that would be great," she conceded, "I want this to be as good of a night for him as possible."

"We've got you covered. You just twist Mia's arm into coming, and we'll show up with ourselves and the food."

"Thank you so much. I'll see you and Buddy tonight."

"It's our pleasure. See you tonight."

Putting the phone back down on the receiver, Lorelai found someone to cover the front desk and headed to Mia's office. Rapping her knuckles on the door frame, she called out, "Knock knock."

Mia looked up from some paperwork in her lap and smiled. "Hello, Lorelai. What can I do for you?"

"Hey Mia." Taking a seat in the chair in front of Mia's desk, Lorelai looked at her hopefully. "I was wondering, do you have any plans tonight?"

Shaking her head, Mia answered, "I don't have anything to do as of now. Why do you ask?"

"Well, Luke has had a pretty awful week, and I thought that surprising him with a "family" dinner of sorts would cheer him up. I already invited Buddy and Maisy, but I was hoping that you would come too, since you've known him just as long and he thinks of you as family just like he does them."

Grinning, Mia nodded happily. "Of course, I'll come… I have to say, this is a very sweet thing for you to do, Lorelai."

Ducking her head in embarrassment, Lorelai's face grew red. "It's the least I can do. He's always here for me when I have a bad day, so I want to be here for him to help with his bad week."

"If it means anything coming from me, I think that what you're doing is just what Lucas needs. What time do I need to be at your house?"

"Maisy and Buddy are coming around 6:45, so you can come around then too."

"Okay, I'll be there… Do I need to bring anything?"

With a laugh, Lorelai answered, "You sound just like Maisy. She already convinced me to let her and Buddy handle the food. You don't have to bring anything."

"Nonsense. I can't show up to a dinner empty handed. How about I bring some dessert?"

"If you want to, that's fine. Thank you, Mia."

* * *

After making sure Caesar had everything under control, Luke climbed into the cab of the truck and headed over to Lorelai's. Pulling into the driveway, he noticed what looked like Mia's car and someone else's parked behind the jeep. Trudging up the stairs, he sighed as he found the door unlocked. Calling out, he spoke gruffly, "Lorelai, how many times have I told you that you need to lock this door?"

"I told you he would say that," he heard her say in the living room, followed by a bout of laughter in response. Hearing familiar voices, Luke walked in to see Mia, Buddy, and Maisy on the couch, Rory in Mia's lap, and Lorelai sitting in the chair across from them all.

Stopping just inside the doorframe, he was welcomed.

"Well, hello son," Buddy called, lifting his drink in acknowledgment, "Fancy seeing you here."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, guys... I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry I didn't update last week. It was midterms week, so I didn't have much time to write. Yes... I know this chapter was kind of a "filler chapter", and I know I left it on a mini cliffhanger, but I promise the next chapter will make up for it. I think you're really going to like it!**


	24. Chapter 24: He's a Softie

**Chapter 40: He's a Softie**

Confused by the scene in front of him, Luke looked at Lorelai questioningly. "Is there some event that I am forgetting here?"

"No," she responded plainly, "We talked about having dinner with everyone a while back, and I thought that it might be fun to have a family dinner tonight, so I just pulled it together." Reaching to the floor beside her, she held out a cold, unopened beer. "Here, this is for you."

"Hold on a sec." After going into the kitchen to put something in the fridge and coming back in to set his keys on the desk, Luke walked over to her, taking the drink. "Uh okay."

Standing up, Lorelai grabbed his hand and pulled him to the seat she was sitting in. Once he was seated, she plopped down on his lap. "There, now get comfortable and enjoy the rest of the night."

Slightly embarrassed of Lorelai in his lap with everyone around, Luke's cheeks reddened. Reacting how he knew best, he rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Yeah, okay. With you sitting here that's gonna be possible."

Smiling, she countered impishly, "Well, I guess I could get up, but then I'd have to go all the way to the kitchen and bring a chair in here, and then I'd have to take it all the way back when we eat. I also could probably fit on the couch, but I don't want to squish our guests. That would be rude. But it's up to you. Whatever you want me t…"

Luke put a finger over her lips. "It's fine, just stay here."

"Well, since you're offering…"

Chuckling at their antics, Buddy took a sip of his drink and commented, "She sure knows how to get her way. I've never seen you give in to someone so easily."

"Bud, you haven't seen anything," Mia informed him with a knowing tone, "Can you imagine our boy here dancing along to _Dirty Dancing_?"

Luke turned quickly to Lorelai gaping. "You told her?"

"Oh, take a chill pill, Lucas," Mia laughed, "Of course she told me."

Taking in Lorelai's look, Luke saw her bright smile and knew she was thinking about the memory of that date. Remembering the three little words said that night, he immediately lost his attitude. "Oh, okay."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Maisy spoke up. "You're telling me that Lorelai convinced Mr. I-Hate-All-Things-Fun to do something other than gripe at a movie?"

"You bet I did… I have my ways," Lorelai answered with a naughty smile.

Snorting a laugh, he added, "Yeah… If she can't convince me to do something, there's no doubt she can annoy me into doing it."

Her jaw dropping, Lorelai gasped. "Hey!"

All the adults and Rory laughed. Luke squeezed Lorelai's thigh in reassurance, and she saw the playfulness in his eyes, knowing that he was kidding.

Smiling back, she showed the smile she only wore for him. With a quick peck to his cheek, she turned back to the couch. "So, now that Luke is here, I guess we can eat, right?"

Nodding, Buddy answered, "Dinner is ready when you are."

"Alright then," she announced as she hopped off of Luke's lap, "Let's eat."

* * *

"Buddy! Luke!" Lorelai reached next to her and swatted Luke's thigh playfully, "I can't believe you guys did that!"

"What," Luke questioned with a laugh; taking a sip of his beer, he sat it back on the table. "The guy was a jerk! He deserved what he got!"

"But taking your sister's 16-year-old boyfriend "snipe hunting" and then leaving him out in woods he's never been to before is mean! What if he didn't find his way back?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Luke smirked. "Then he'd get eaten by wolves or something…"

Taking in Lorelai's look of disbelief, Buddy added in, "Hey, it's not like we left the kid. We just went back to the truck and waited for about 10 minutes, and then we went and got him."

"You should have seen that boy when they got back to the house," Maisy laughed, "The poor thing was still shaking."

"That's awful," Lorelai laughed.

Putting her fork down on her plate, Mia added in, "Mais and I thought so at first, but imagine how you'd feel if Rory dated someone like him."

Groaning, Lorelai frowned. "Don't even bring up dating. She's gonna be six next week, not sixteen! Don't rush my time away!"

Beside her, Luke had a reaction of his own. Grumbling, he added in, "She's not allowed to date until she is married."

Laughing at the adults, Rory smiled. "Boys have cooties. I don't want a boyfriend."

Accepting her answer, Luke pointed at her with his fork. "That's my girl. Remember, all boys are gross."

Eyeing him curiously, Rory questioned, "What about you and Buddy and Grandpa?"

"Me, Buddy, and Grandpa aren't gross, but every other boy is."

"Even Taylor."

Two different reactions were seen at the table. Mia and Lorelai busted out laughing while Luke rolled his eyes and responded, "Especially Taylor… He's the grossest of them all."

Maisy, not one to hold back from telling stories, casually spoke. "Speaking of Taylor, Lorelai, have you heard about the time when Lucas cut off all of the roses on Taylor's rose bushes?"

"Luke," Lorelai asked as she turned to him quickly, "Why would you do that? How old were you?"

"I was somewhere around 15, and he was annoying then too," Luke grumbled, as Taylor was not his favorite topic of choice. "He tore down Dad's advertisements without permission and put up fliers about some stupid town even in their place."

"So you destroyed his rose bushes?"

Shaking his head, he confirmed. "Like I said, I was 15; it seemed like a good idea that the time… By the way, what is this, patronize Luke night?" He questioned, shooting his gaze around the table, "Does everyone have a story to tell?"

"Oh don't be such a sourpuss," Maisy countered, "It's all in good fun."

"So it's okay if I tell a story about you from when you were younger," Luke questioned with a smirk.

Nodding, Maisy crossed her arms and leaned back confidently in her chair. "Well, since Bud and Mia already know all my stories, the only ones who could be surprised are Lorelai and Rory."

"I don't know. I think I know of one story that they haven't heard, or at least Mia hasn't…"

"And what would that be?"

Taking the same arrogant stance as Maisy, Luke smiled. "The one dad told me about when you and Mom egged Mia's house and blamed it on the Rossi twins so that she would break up with Matthew Rossi."

"Maisy," Mia gasped with a laugh, "I knew it was the two of you!"

"Lucas, I have kept that a secret for over 20 years," Maisy chastised. Turning to Mia, she shrugged her shoulders. "Katherine and I hated that guy. Jack was a much better fit."

Grinning, Buddy chuckled. "Well, who knew my wife was such a rebel."

"Yeah, a rebel and a vandal," Luke remarked teasingly.

"Excuse me, son. What do you call cutting up rose bushes," Maisy countered, pointing her spoon at him.

"Touché."

* * *

When dinner finished, everyone gathered back in the living room for dessert.

"Oh my gosh Mia, this cheesecake is amazing," Lorelai moaned, taking the first bite of her second piece.

Looking down at Rory, who was sitting on the floor with a book, Lorelai held her fork down to her. "Are you sure you don't want some, hon?"

Shaking her head, Rory grimaced, "I don't like cheesecake. It's mushy."

"Mushy," she questioned with a laugh, "So are cake and pie."

"It's a bad mushy… It's gross."

"Hey Rory, come here," Luke called. Scampering over to him, she stopped in front of him as he whispered in her ear.

Gasping, a bright smile spread across her face as she exclaimed, "Really!"

At Luke's nod, Rory ran into the kitchen. Seeing everyone's questioning look, Luke shook his head. "Just wait a second. You'll see."

Running back in, Rory held a king-sized bag of M&Ms.

Seeing her daughter's "treasure" Lorelai gaped. "Where did that come from? You're telling me that I've had candy in my house and I didn't know it?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "No, it hasn't been here for long… Trust me, if it had, you would have found it by now. That's what I put in the fridge when I got here. I didn't want them to melt or something."

"You, the health nut out of all of us, voluntarily bought M&Ms," Mia questioned with a small grin, "I must say, I'm shocked. Half the time, you won't even look at a pack of candy, nonetheless buy it."

Shaking his head, Luke's face grew red. "I didn't have any to put in her milkshake earlier this week, so I owed her. I grabbed some when I had to go too Doose's today for extra cream."

"Aw, Luke, you big softie." Lorelai smiled.

"I'm not soft," he grumbled, narrowing his eyes at her.

With a laugh, Buddy added in, "I don't know. You're looking pretty soft to me."

With a smile, Maisy joined the consensus, "Me too. First we hear about you changing your menu and now you're buying candy…"

"Those are just two instances," Luke frowned.

Sitting back down on the floor, Rory hugged his leg tightly. "Thank you, Daddy Luke."

Rubbing her hair, he looked down at her and smiled. "You're welcome, princess." Looking up, he saw everyone smiling and raised his hands in surrender, "Fine… I'm a big softie. I get it. I know."

Buddy and Maisy both laughed as they stood up. "Well everyone, I think it's time for me and the wife here to head out. We've got the breakfast shift to handle tomorrow."

Hopping up off of Luke's lap, Lorelai pulled him up with her and went to give the couple a hug. "Thank you so much for coming."

"You're welcome, hon. Thanks for inviting us," Maisy answered as she pulled her in for a tight hug.

Luke was soon brought into a hug as well as he added, "Really, I know this was last minute, but it's been a good night. We should do it more often."

"That we should." Maisy smiled.

Dropping her book after marking her place, Rory quickly appeared at Lorelai's side. "Do I get hugs too?"

Leaning down, Buddy picked her up and squeezed her. "Of course you do… Now you keep your mom and Daddy Luke out of trouble when we leave, okay?"

Nodding with a smile, she responded brightly, "Okay!" Leaning over to Maisy's arms, she continued, "Bye Maisy."

"Bye sweetheart."

The trio walked them to the door, and as they entered back into the living room, they were met by Mia. "I think I'll get going too."

"If you have to, I guess we'll let you go," Lorelai joked with a laugh, "Thank you for coming too."

"It was a good time." Reaching over to hug Luke, Mia teased, "Now, you should be rid of that bad attitude. After a night like this, you have nothing to complain about, you old grump."

"I know," Luke resigned, "Thank you for coming, Mia."

"And now for my favorite out of the three of you." Extending her arms out, Rory jumped into her embrace. "I'll see you soon, honey. I know you turn six next week, but don't go growing too much between now and then, okay?"

"Okay," Rory smiled, squeezing Mia's neck, "Are you coming to my party?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Putting the little girl down after one last squeeze, she smiled. "You guys have a good rest of the night."

* * *

After helping put Rory to bed and cleaning the kitchen, a task Lorelai fought him tooth and nail about because it was "his night" and he "shouldn't have to clean a kitchen after working at a diner all day," Luke marched upstairs, finally ready to start relaxing.

Reaching her room, Luke leaned back against the door frame, watching Lorelai pull her pajama shirt and shirt for the following day out of her dresser.

Despite not hearing him coming, Lorelai knew he was there because she could feel his eyes on her. After pulling her shirt over her head, she called out, "You know, you don't have to stay outside. You can come in. There's nothing showing that you haven't seen before."

Slowly, he walked over to her, the floor boards creaking under his feet. Placing his hands on the exposed skin of her waist as she closed the top drawer, Luke spoke a soft, "Hey."

Putting the work blouse she was holding on top of the dresser, she turned around to face him with a sincere smile. "Hey."

In unspoken agreement, they both leaned in for a warm, sweet kiss. Knocking off his cap and tangling her fingers in his hair, Lorelai continued until breathless and nuzzled into his neck. Continuing to run her fingers through his hair, she suddenly stopped. Leaning back, she met his gaze curiously.

Luke, noticing the furrow of her brow, questioned, "What?"

Running his hair between her finger tips, she cocked her head. "Did you not take a shower before you came? Your hair isn't as soft as usual…"

Sighing, Luke spoke quietly. "Yeah, about that… I need to use your shower."

Knowing he still felt uncomfortable using her bathroom, she prodded, "You know I don't mind… but what happened?"

"Well, when I went upstairs to take a shower before I came over, I found out that the hot water heater for the apartment is out… Someone is coming to fix it tomorrow afternoon."

As hard as she tried, Lorelai couldn't help but be in awe at his bad luck. Planting a kiss on his cheek, she laughed, "Oh Luke, I'm sorry. This week has just sucked for you!"

Chuckling with her, he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against him. "I know… It was pretty damn bad." Stroking up and down her back, Luke grew a bit more serious. "But you made it better tonight…"

Smiling, Lorelai answered. "It was the least I could do. So, you had a good time then?"

"I did. I can't tell you the last time I had dinner with Buddy, Maisy, and Mia all together. It was probably back when Dad was sick."

"I'm glad I could make it happen, then…" Running her hands down his chest, she brought them to rest on his waist. "It was a lot of fun. I like hearing them talk about you when you were younger. I can just imagine you defending your sister's honor with that "awful boyfriend" of hers."

"Yeah, well, I was the only brother she had. It was my job."

"And the story about your Star Trek days was pretty cute too."

Groaning, Luke shook his head. "I can't believe they told you about that. That was supposed to be a family secret."

"Well you think of me and Rory as family now, so it's only right that we get to hear the stories too."

"Yeah… I guess." Bringing a hand up, he pointed sternly at her. "But if I hear a word of this from Patty or any of Hello Magazine, I'm blaming you. I know they saw me in the shirt, but that doesn't mean that they have to bring it back up or know anything else."

"Don't worry babe, your secret is safe with me." Lorelai smiled, holding up her hand in "Spock" form.

Rolling his eyes, Luke grabbed her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "Stop," he commanded gruffly.

Playfulness lit her eyes as she countered, "What are you gonna do if I don't? Use your phaser on me?"

"You are the only person in the world who can make the word phaser sound so dirty," he chuckled with a grin.

"What can I say," she responded with a flip of her hair, "It's a talent." Leaning up to him, she planted a soft kiss on his lips.

Pulling back, Luke rested his forehead on hers and spoke sincerely, "But really… Thanks for tonight. It makes up for all the crap that's happened this week."

"You're welcome. I love you."

Smiling, he answered, "I love you too."

Placing one last peck on his lips, Lorelai squeezed his hand. "I'm guessing that since you're showering here, you're also planning on spending the night, right?"

"I don't open tomorrow, so I will if you want."

"I want," she answered as she patted his chest. "Alright, in that case, go take your shower, and I'll set us up a movie downstairs… Once you get out, we'll have a mini date, just you and me, and sack it out on the couch. How does that sound?"

Shooting her a knowing look, Luke answered, "It sounds like I'll be carrying you up the stairs to bed around 1 because you won't want to actually sleep on the couch and you'll be "too tired" to move..."

"You know me so well… But if you do, I'll make it worth your while," Lorelai countered, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"How could I say no to that?"

Before she could leave, Luke captured her hand. "Please, no pop tarts and no red vines. We had plenty of dessert with dinner."

Frowning, Lorelai poked out her bottom lip. "But I barely had any of the cheesecake! I only had two slices."

Sighing, he shook his head. "Fine... Go look at the top shelf of the fridge. I saved you the last piece, and the chocolate sauce that goes with it is in the container on the shelf below."

With bright eyes and a smile to match, Lorelai sauntered her way out of the room. Stopping at the doorway, she turned around and spoke suggestively, "Now I'm really gonna make it worth your while."

"Yeah, yeah," Luke smiled, "Just go get your dessert and I'll be down in a few."

* * *

"Lorelai, is there a reason that I now have four different flannels here? Are you making it your goal to steal as many as possible for your…" Luke called out gruffly as he descended the stairs. Faltering off as he reached the landing, he saw Lorelai curled up asleep on the couch, an empty dessert plate and _Casa Blanca_ on the coffee table. Smiling, Luke walked over, planting a kiss on her forehead and making his way to sit down at the other end of the couch. Placing her feet in his lap, he reached over for the remote and turned on the baseball game.

A number of innings later, Luke felt Lorelai stir slowly. Looking over at her, he admired her sleeping form. The Lorelai he saw during the day was always slightly tensed, as she tried to present her best self. But in moments like this, he could see the relaxed, carefree Lorelai, a Lorelai he thought was just as beautiful... and all his. Out of nowhere, he was brought out of his daze by a hoarse command.

"I thought I told you to stop staring at me. It's creepy."

A quiet chuckle escaped his lips as he reached for her hand. "I thought you were asleep."

"I was." Opening her eyes, Lorelai looked at him with a soft smile, "But you were off in your own little world when I woke up, and you were staring."

"Sorry."

Sitting up, Lorelai turned to where she could lay her head in his lap. "So, what were you thinking about?"

"When?"

"Just now; when you were staring at me."

With his other hand on her stomach, Luke began tracing shapes, a motion he knew that she loved. Shaking his head, he answered unconvincingly, "Nothing."

"Was it me," Lorelai questioned innocently.

Not answering with words, Luke merely nodded with a small grin.

At his response, Lorelai couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. Moving closer, she planted a kiss to his stomach.

Sitting in silence, Luke watched the game as Lorelai laid with her eyes closed. Neither made a move for a long time, simply enjoying the quiet moment they found themselves in.

Before she could fall back asleep, Lorelai caught herself and spoke up softly. "Hey Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go to bed? I'm tired."

"Sure."

Despite their agreement, both remained still. Waiting a few more moments, Lorelai spoke up again. "Hey Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you carry me?"

Rolling his eyes with a short laugh coming from his lips, Luke stood up slowly. Slipping his arms under her, he lifted Lorelai up as she draped her arms loosely around his neck, and he proceeded to carry her honeymoon style up the stairs.

As he moved up towards the second floor, he felt Lorelai begin to trail her lips across his jaw. "I thought you were tired."

"I am," she mumbled, not moving her lips from his skin.

A shiver jolted through his body as he felt her bite at his ear lobe. "If you want to get dropped, then keep doing that," he growled.

Taking her ministrations back to his neck, Luke barely made it up to the top. "Lorelai, Rory is downstairs."

Pulling back, she sighed. "So? She's asleep, and it takes a freight train to wake her up."

Finally reaching the room, Luke put her down next to her side of the bed "I know… but I still don't feel comfortable doing _that_ with her here."

Frowning, Lorelai dolefully admitted, "I know." Pecking his cheek, she continued, "But I promised you that I'd repay you for that cheesecake."

Pulling her against him, Luke dropped a kiss to her head. "I'll just take a kiss for now," he murmured, bringing her lips to his. As they broke apart, Luke turned to look at the clock. "Look at that. It's midnight… You were an hour earlier tonight."

"Oh shush you," she smiled. Patting his chest, she replied, "Come on Burger Boy; let's get to bed."

Moving back the covers from his side, Luke got under them and joined Lorelai. As he normally did, he pulled her close, initially burying his nose in her hair and stroking her stomach.

"Mmmm," he heard her sigh quietly. Suddenly, she pulled away. "Uh uh uh, take your head out of my hair, mister, and stop with the fingers on my stomach. Don't think you can shoot me down and then get all sexy and snuggly next to me."

Leaning his head back, Luke propped himself up on his elbow to look at her. "Are you serious?"

Flipping over to her other side, she faced him with a with a stern expression. "Serious as a heart attack my friend."

"Lorelai, I just don't feel comfortable doing things with Rory down stairs."

"And I get that sleeping over with her in the house is something you are still getting used to, so we won't, but you can't do all of that stuff that _you know_ drives me crazy. I would never deny a snuggle, but you have to keep your head and your hands from traveling elsewhere."

Flopping back onto his pillow, Luke resigned. "Fine." Pulling her to him, she laid down on his shoulder.

Planting a kiss to his chest, Lorelai smiled. "Good night."

Laughing, he questioned, "So I'm not allowed to do anything, but you're allowed to do that?"

"Are you complaining?"

"No."

"Well then get comfortable babe." Stopping to plant another kiss to his chest, she continued, "We've got a full night of non-naked cuddling ahead of us."

Rolling his eyes, he smiled. "Goodnight, Lorelai."

Looking back at him, she smiled right back. "Goodnight Luke."

* * *

 **A/N: 40 Chapters in... I can't believe it! Thank you sooooo much for reading this fic! When I started writing it, I honestly didn't think this many people would read it, so thank you! I know I've said this before, but if any of you have suggestions or scenes you would like to see, just let me know, and I will see if I can make them fit!**

 **I know some of y'all said you want me to finish the storyline with Richard ASAP, and I will, trust me. I just like to throw in some "fluffy" scenes between big events, and this is one of those scenes. I hope y'all enjoy it!**


	25. Chapter 25: Dances and Dynarite

**CHAPTER 25: Dances and "Dynarite" and Daddies**

The Monday of the following week finally arrived, and it was the day that also happened to be exactly 3 days from Rory's birthday and 5 days from "the party of the year." That night at dinner, as Rory was over at Lane's to play, Lorelai and Sookie took up a table in the diner, discussing just how the party at the end of the week was going to go.

"So, this is the guest list, right? I know we've already sent out the invitations, so if there is anyone else you need to add last minute, we need to add them," Sookie stated, going through the motions as they did with every party they planned.

Scanning over the list, Lorelai realized one guest was missing. Sighing, she sat the pad of paper on the table. "There is one person I should probably put on the list, but I'm not sure…"

"Who?"

"My dad."

"Oh…"

"Yeah, oh…" Running her hands across her face, Lorelai frowned. "Rory would love it if he showed, but I don't know if he will. He probably won't come unless mom is invited."

"Then invite your mom," Sookie replied, assuming the action was as easy said as done.

"I can't," she responded strongly, shaking her head. "After the stunt she pulled at dinner, quite frankly, I don't want to. She doesn't respect my life, so I don't want her involved."

"I just hate that it's at the expense of your dad not coming to the party."

Before Lorelai could answer, Luke set their plates down on the table. "So, uh, how's it going?"

"Good!" Sookie intercepted. "We have everything set in stone but the guest list and the decorations."

Looking over at Lorelai, he questioned with a frown, "Didn't you make the guest list the other night?"

"I did," she sighed. "But I didn't include dad. Now I have to decide if I want to invite him or not. I don't think he'll come."

"It's Rory's party," Luke reasoned, "Do you really think he'd miss it because Emily is not included?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Lorelai opened her mouth to speak but was at a loss for words. Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, she answered, "I honestly don't know… He might; he might not."

"Then call and invite him. If he shows up, then Rory will be excited. If he doesn't, then we'll make sure Rory has such a great time that she doesn't even notice his absence."

Smiling, Lorelai added Richard's name to the list. Looking back up, she spoke appreciatively, "I'll do that… Thanks Luke."

"So, is everything else done, then?"

Despite his simple question, Lorelai couldn't help but notice the slight bit of hope that appeared on Luke's face. "Well, I'm not sure. Did you have anything else in mind?"

Stuffing his hands in his pocket, Luke looked hesitantly between the two women then dropped his gaze to the floor. "Uh, well, is all the food taken care of?"

Seeing Sookie open her mouth to speak, Lorelai tapped her leg lightly under the table to deter her. Shaking her head as when Sookie looked back at her, Lorelai looked back at Luke and answered, "We have a menu, but it's not set in stone. Why?"

"Oh, uh, because if you needed me to make anything, then I could. You know, to help lessen Sookie's load."

Amused by his bashfulness when asking, Lorelai grinned, unable to say no. "You know… I think I'll take you up on that offer. I'll let you know what you can cook when we finish; sound good?"

Nodding his head, Luke answered with a quick, "Yeah." Wringing his hands together, he turned to see a patron trying to get his attention. "Well, I'm gonna go tend to that guy, but I'll be back by in a little while. "

Watching him walk away, she was unable to tear her gaze from the impressive features Luke's body was blessed with. Smirking, she turned back to see Sookie with a furrowed brow. "What?"

"Is there a reason you just told Luke that he could bring food? I thought we already decided that I'd do the food and the cake."

"Did you not see the look on his face," Lorelai claimed, "He wants to help, and who am I to say no?"

"But…"

"Sook," Lorelai sighed with small laugh, "You know I love your food, but I think Luke really wants to be involved. Just think about it this way; now you can spend more time making the cake look as amazing as possible."

Immediately perking up, Sookie's eyes grew wide with the possibilities. "That's true! I can make it even more intricate than I thought!"

"That's more like it," Lorelai smiled, "Now, we've got the guest list settled. What about decorations?"

* * *

Finally getting used to not knocking, Luke opened the door and entered the Gilmore household. Coming into the living room, he noticed neither Lorelai nor Rory were actually there. The sounds of laughter and music came from Rory's room. After setting down the bags of food on the counter, he turned to look in Rory's doorway and saw Lorelai holding Rory, dancing her around the room.

As the song stopped, Luke clapped, alerting the girls to his presence Setting Rory down, Lorelai walked over and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. "Hey, babe. You're here early."

"Yeah. Things were slow, so as soon as 8 struck, I shut things down."

"Not before you made some dinner for your amazing girlfriend and her daughter, right," she questioned with a grin.

Rolling his eyes, Luke stepped to the side of the doorway, gesturing to the kitchen. "Of course not. The bags are on the counter."

As Lorelai walked out, Rory switched the CD and ran over. "Hi, Daddy Luke! Come dance with me!"

Before he could respond, she pulled insistently on him. "Uh, okay."

Getting her side of fries and sitting down in the doorway, Lorelai watched Luke try to find a way to dance with Rory, despite the drastic height difference. "You know, babe," she spoke knowingly, "It's a hell of a lot easier to dance with her if you hold her… and it doesn't hurt your feet like it does with her stepping on them."

"Yeah!" Jumping up as high as she could, Rory forced him to catch her.

As Luke pretended to drop her, Lorelai watched Rory's eyes widen. "No," Rory yelled as she laughed. Reaching out, she clung to the collar of his flannel, and Luke retightened his grip around her. "You almost dropped me!"

"Did I," Luke prodded with a smile, as he mischievously loosened his grip again.

"No! Not again!" Rory laughed loudly, clinging tighter than before.

Watching them dance and play, Lorelai couldn't help but wear a bright smile seeing the two people she loved most getting along so well. Slowly, she was drawn out of her trance by a questioning Luke.

"Lorelai?"

"Huh?"

"I said, is there a reason that we are dancing anyway?"

"Well, in preparation for a certain almost 6-year-old's party, we were picking out music for the CD player, and it turned into a dance party."

Rory nodded happily in agreement. "We got lots of good songs."

"That's great Rory," Luke answered with a sincere smile. Turning back to Lorelai, still dancing, he questioned further, "So everything is good then? With the party?"

"Yep," she said confidently, biting a piece off of a fry. "Well, all except the guest list."

Nodding in understanding, Luke added a quiet, "Gotcha."

A few twirls and laughs later, the song ended.

"Alright, hon. I know dancing with Daddy Luke is fun, but you have school tomorrow, so we've got to hurry up and get you fed, showered, and in bed. Start with going and washing your hands so we can eat. Capisce?"

Nodding as Luke put her down, Rory resounded a happy, "Okay!" Turning, she dashed out of the room.

Lorelai walked over and turned the CD down lower. Taking Luke's hand in hers as she walked back by, she pulled him to her. Despite the fast tempo of the song, they began slowly swaying.

"Thanks for dancing with her," Lorelai smiled, and laughed softly. "She about has me wore out. I don't know if I'm gonna have enough energy to last by the time the party finally happens. With the inn and the planning and everything else, I'm gonna be dragging."

Slipping one of his hands to the small of her back, Luke pulled her closer. "You know, my offer to help with the food still stands… Did anything else come of that?"

"Oh yeah… Sookie wants to handle the cake and the main entrée type of things, but I was hoping you could do sides. Rory has specifically requested fries and mac and cheese."

"Both very healthy options," Luke deadpanned.

"She is my daughter," Lorelai smiled. "But I guess with other kids being there, I should throw in some type of rabbit food. If you want to make salad and some other stuff… Ooo, what about that weird dip stuff you made a few weeks ago that Rory thought was the most delicious thing ever?" Grimacing at the thought, she shook her head. "I don't even know how she ate that."

Rolling his eyes, Luke retorted, "Oh, please, you ate a bite too. It was good."

"Exactly… I ate _one_ bite. If it was so amazing then I would have wanted more," she challenged tauntingly.

"It was _so amazing_ ," Luke answered, mocking her tone, which made her smile. "Your taste buds are just so used to straight sugar and coffee that they don't know how to react to anything else."

"I'll have you know, I grew up in the household of Emily Gilmore. I happen to know the most exquisite of food."

Snorting a laugh, Luke shook his head. "Yeah, well, I didn't say it was exquisite; I said it tastes good… Big difference."

Opening her mouth for a snarky reply, Lorelai was interrupted by Rory's call from the table.

"Mommy! I'm done! We can eat now!"

Laughing, Lorelai pecked his cheek. "Thanks for the dance babe."

Responding with a kiss on her lips, he whispered, "Any time."

With a grin on her lips, Lorelai raised her eyebrows knowingly. "Any time?"

"In private that is…"

"That's what I thought." Tentatively, she pulled away and led him towards the door. "We better get in there… you think I'm difficult to deal with when I'm hungry, just wait until you see hungry and impatient Rory…."

After they put Rory to bed, Luke closed the door behind him quietly and put his arm around Lorelai, walking them to the foyer.

"How she enjoys reading so much, I'll never know."

Looking at him with a smile, Lorelai prodded. "Would it shock you even more if I told you that she's already read that book four times now?"

"What a surprise…" he responded sarcastically with a chuckle. "I wish I had her dedication to reading when I was in school… would've really helped my GPA."

"You mean Butch Danes wasn't a book nerd?" Lorelai teased.

"Unless it was a playbook, no."

As they reached the door, Lorelai laced her fingers through his loosely. "Can we talk about one more thing before you go?"

Noticing the shyness in her voice, Luke stopped and leaned back against the front door. "Sure… What's on your mind?"

"I called dad."

"Okay, and what happened?"

"Well, he was in a meeting. I gave the secretary a message, but he never called back." Chewing her lower lip, Lorelai questioned softly, "Do you think that's a bad sign?"

Sighing, Luke rested his hands on her hips, his thumbs tracing soothing circles. "I honestly don't know, Lorelai… I don't know your dad well enough to say."

"I know." Taking steps towards him, she leaned her head on his chest. Out of instinct, his arms wrapped around her middle, and he planted a kiss to her hair. Quietly, he heard her mumble, "I honestly want this so bad for Rory. She loves him… If only my mother could just be cordial, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"I know," Luke soothed, "Just don't worry. He may not have gotten the message yet. If he did and he doesn't want to come, like I said, we'll make sure Rory doesn't notice."

Sufficed, Lorelai nodded against him. After a moment, she looked up and planted a soft kiss on his lips. "Are you sure you can't stay tonight?"

Shaking his head, he answered sadly, "I've got really early deliveries."

"I know," Lorelai frowned, running her hands up and down his shoulders. "I don't want to keep you out too late, Grandpa. I know you've got to go to bed early."

Tilting her chin up, Luke pulled her in for a warm, lingering kiss, and he pulled away with a smile. "I do… but I'll make it up to you."

"I'll hold you to that, mister…" Leaning in, she planted one last kiss. After taking her fill, they broke apart, and she tugged on his flannel for good measure. "Goodnight, Luke."

"Goodnight."

* * *

With Thursday morning barely having arrived, Lorelai padded downstairs. Opening Rory's door quietly, she tiptoed to her bedside and took a final minute to admire the beautiful girl she saw. "How I got so lucky to get a kid as great as you, I'll never know," she whispered into the darkness. As the clock struck 4:03 am, Lorelai planted a soft kiss on Rory's cheek and spoke into her ear, "Happy birthday little girl…"

Stirring slowly, Rory turned on her back to look at Lorelai with tired eyes. "Hi, Mommy."

Climbing in with her, Lorelai snuggled down into the covers, bringing Rory into her embrace and running her fingers up and down her back. "I can't believe how fast you're growing… It's too fast."

"Does that mean you still want to put a brick on my head," Rory questioned, the drowsiness slowly leaving her mind.

Laughing softly, Lorelai answered, "No, I like that you are growing big and strong, but it makes me sad that you won't be my little girl for long."

"I'll always be your little girl, Mommy." Rory whispered

"You just keep remembering that, Rory," she whispered back. "What do you think of your life so far?"

Smiling, Rory moved closer. "I like it. It's really fun."

"Good… You want to know what I think?"

"What?"

Pushing the few strands of hair out of Rory's face, Lorelai looked down at her and grinned. "I think you're a great, cool kid and the best friend a girl could have." Planting a kiss on her forehead, Rory closed her eyes in acceptance. "And it's so hard to believe that at exactly this time, many moons ago, I was lying in the exact same position…"

"In the hospital?" Rory questioned.

"Mhmmmm, and I had huge fat ankles, and I was swearing like a sailor on leave."

Her face suddenly showing concern, Rory looked at Lorelai curiously. "Miss Elliot says swearing is wrong. Did you get in trouble?"

Tracing her furrowed brow with her thumb, Lorelai answered with a small laugh. "Oh no. The doctors didn't mind. They knew I was just wanting you to come into the world as soon as possible… So there I was, in labor. And while some call it the most meaningful experience of your life, to me it was more…"

"Like splits on a create of dynarite, right?" Rory interrupted.

"It's a create of dyna _mite_ ," Lorelai exaggerated the ending, "But you were close enough."

"Like on Road Runner and Wile Coyote?"

"Exactly like that, hon."

Grimacing, Rory spoke a quiet, "Ow."

"Yeah, it was ow," Lorelai sighed. "But I got you, so the pain was all worth it. I love you, kid."

"I love you Mommy."

"So where was I?"

"Ice chips!"

Laughing at Rory's enthusiasm, Lorelai continued. "Oh yeah, ice chips. That was my favorite part. Being surrounded by what seemed like 100 prominent doctors, I assumed there was a use for the ice chips, and there wasn't, but throwing them at the nurses sure was fun. And before I knew it, they were handing me a teeny tiny, with bright pink cheeks, dark black hair, and teeny tiny fingers." As she rattled off the list, Lorelai planted a kiss to each place she named.

"I don't have black hair anymore."

"No, hon, you don't, but your brown hair is so pretty, just like the rest of you." Snuggling closer, Lorelai planted a soft kiss to Rory's forehead. "I love you, beautiful girl."

"I love you too, Mommy."

* * *

Later that morning, Rory ran into the diner ahead of Lorelai and around the corner of the counter, latching on to Luke's leg. Looking down, a smile appeared on Luke's face as Rory exclaimed, "Daddy Luke! It's my birthday! I'm six today!" Removing her arms from his legs, she held up 6 fingers to show him.

Bending down to pick her up, Luke pecked a kiss to her forehead. "I know. Happy Birthday, princess.:

"Well, if that's not a scene that will melt your heart, I don't know what is." Lorelai smiled as she sat down at the counter.

"You're at the wrong seat," Luke answered with a rough voice, his tone completely changing.

With a furrowed brow, Lorelai retorted, "Since when do we have right seats."

"Since the stupid coffee cake I baked for her and the stupid balloons I blew up are at that table over there.:

Both Lorelai and Rory looked over to see a small plate of cake on the table and multicolored balloons tied to the back of a chair. Gasping, Rory looked at Luke quickly. "Those are for me?!"

Nodding, Luke answered, "You only turn six once, so I had to celebrate.:

Throwing her arms around his neck, Rory spoke a loud and happy, "Thank you!"

Still holding her, Luke walked to the table, Lorelai following, and placed her in the chair. "I didn't know what you anted to drink… any idea?"

"Can I have chocolate milk," Rory questioned, her eyes already widened beggingly.

Hiding the grimace, knowing that it was her birthday, Luke resigned. "Sure, why not. I'll be right back."

As he walked away, Rory didn't lose any of her happiness. "Mommy, look! Cake!" She spoke excitedly, pointing to the small cinnamon streusel cake in front of her.

"I see that… you are one spoiled girl," Lorelai laughed, "I think you've got your Daddy Luke wrapped around your finger." Looking over to see Luke now standing at the counter with his back turned to them, she added, "I'll be right back, hon. You can go ahead and start eating."

As she approached the counter, she sat down at a stool. Reaching across, Lorelai ran her fingers across his lower back.

"Hey! Who…" Jumping around quickly, Luke turned to see Lorelai with a naughty grin. "That's not funny," he pointed at her.

"I don't know," she taunted, "I think it was." Setting down, her demeanor softened. "Thank you for doing that for Rory. You didn't have to."

"I know," Luke responded bashfully, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking down to the floor. "I just thought it would be nice."

"Well it was." Knowing he was uncomfortable with her praise, Lorelai changed the subject. "What are you waiting for right now? Chocolate milk doesn't take that long to get."

"I'm waiting on your order."

"You ordered for me?!"

Nodding, Luke answered, "Yeah, and don't worry. It's something you'll like."

"You mean you're not trying to force feed me healthy food? Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he smiled small. "Who knows? Maybe Rory's birthday has put me in a generous mood."

"Well generous mood or not, I like it. It gets me the good food."

Clearing his throat, Luke stepped closer to the counter. "Speaking of good food, do you still want to go to Sniffy's tonight? Maisy will kill both of us if we don't come since they can't make it to the party Saturday."

"You bet," Lorelai smiled and confirmed, "Wanna go around 6 or so?"

"Sounds good." Hearing Caesar call out her order, he grabbed the plate and cup of chocolate milk from the window. "Alright, I've got your food. Now get back to your table."

Challenging him, Lorelai stayed still. "And why can't I stay here?"

Rolling his eyes, Luke grumbled. "Because Kirk will be here soon, and I don't want to have another argument with him about your 'special privileges' and why you get two seats in the diner."

Laughing at the prospect of their argument, Lorelai stood up. "Okay… I guess I'll move. I won't put you through that today."

* * *

"Come on, Chef Danes. I'm sure it's going to taste fine. Get a move on; the kids are starving," Lorelai teased, coming in behind Luke and wrapping her arms around his waist as he tried to put the finishing stirs into his food.

Turning his head and glaring at her, he countered, "They're not starving. I'm sure you've been stuffing them with candy since they got here."

"You're not wrong," she grinned, "But, really, I'm sure everything you've made is perfect. Stop being anal about the details. You're turning into Sookie."

"Hey!" Sookie called from the stove, "I'm not that bad!"

Both of them turned to look at her with a knowing look.

Raising both hands in surrender, she conceded. "Fine… I am pretty bad, but at least my food tastes good."

Taking the spoon from his hand while he wasn't paying attention, Lorelai knocked the excess dip into the bowl. "There, the spoon is clean. No more stirring."

Sighing, Luke wiped his hand with a paper towel. "Fine… all of this should be good to serve whenever. I'll be back in about 15 minutes. I'm gonna shower and change because I still smell like the diner from breakfast. Do you need anything else?"

Looking around, Lorelai observed everything in the kitchen. "Ummm, no, I think we're good."

"Okay," Luke pecked her cheek, "I'll be back in a few."

Walking over to Sookie as he left, Lorelai questioned, "All good on your side of the kitchen, Sook?"

"Yep! Give me about 5 minutes and I think we'll be able to let the little rugrats at it."

"You got it." Walking back into the living room, Lorelai observed all the kids playing and laughing. Much to her delight, everyone seemed to be having a good time decorating their paper crowns with the stickers she scored from the dollar store. An amused smile taking over her face, Lorelai barely noticed the sound of the doorbell. She was pulled from her trance when Rory shot by her into the foyer. "I'll get it Mommy!"

"Grandpa!" Rory exclaimed, "You're here!"

Making sure she heard her daughter right, Lorelai turned slowly around to see Richard just inside the room. "Dad… you came." She spoke softly, too shocked to move further.

"I did," he said with a smile as he picked Rory up, "I couldn't miss my favorite granddaughter's birthday party, could I?"

"No," Rory smiled. Looking over his shoulder back into the foyer, her faced immediately twisted with curiosity. "Grandma?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hello, everyone! I'm glad y'all enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you enjoyed this one! I just wanted to address somethings.**

 **You may have noticed that the chapter count of the story decreased. While I had 40 chapters already, the first 20 or so were significantly shorter than the second 20. I combined a lot of those earlier chapters together to make the chapter count decrease and create longer chapters. Have no fear, though, all of the story is still there.**

Teddit: **You** **asked how many chapters I am going to do before I finished, and I have to say, I don't know. I think it depends on what y'all as readers want, especially concerning where you want it to end. Engagement? Marriage? Children? I can go on for as long as y'all want. Let me know what you thinking.**

 **Finally, I wanted to see how y'all feel about Rachel. Personally, I didn't mind her in the show, and I like to think that Lorelai and Rachel would have actually gotten along. I thinking about bringing her into the story, because tbh I like the idea of writing her character 10,000 times more than I like writing Christopher's, and I think I could use her in a way to make Luke and Lorelai's relationship better. What are your thoughts?**


	26. Chapter 26: Parties and Parents

**Chapter 26: Parties and Parents and Presents**

" _No," Rory smiled. Looking over his shoulder back into the foyer, her faced immediately twisted with curiosity. "Grandma?"_

Lorelai's eyes widened as Emily walked into the room. As the anger built up in her belly, she did her best to remain calm and spoke cooly, "Mom…"

"Hello, Lorelai."

Taking a deep breath, she held in her anger, refusing to make a scene with all the kids around. Needing to get out of the room for a moment, she questioned, "Dad, can I get you guys a drink?"

"That would be wonderful. A soda for me, sparkling water for your mother."

"Okay…" Knowing her parents wouldn't let the party get out of hand while she was gone, Lorelai walked quickly into the kitchen. _"That's one good thing about mom showing up,"_ she thought.

"Sookie," she called forcefully yet quietly, "I need drinks and I need them ASAP."

Turning around with a small frown, Sookie placed her hands on Lorelai's shoulders. "Okay… don't panic."

"Good opening line…What's wrong?"

"We're out of ice."

Slapping her palm to her forehead, Lorelai groaned. "How could we be out of ice? We had a ton of ice! It was like a penguin habitat in here!"

"I don't know how it happened; I just know that it happened, and somehow we have to deal with it."

"Great. Two problems at once…" Sighing, Lorelai took a second to think. "Alright. If you can help keep an eye on the party, I will go and get some real quick."

"You got it," Sookie reassured her.

Walking into the living room, Lorelai grabbed her car keys from the desk. As she went to open the door, Luke happened to enter holding two bags of ice. "Oh! Oh my gosh! Luke, you're a vision," she gasped. "Sookie! We have ice!"

Leaning her head into the foyer, Sooke grinned. "Hallelujah!"

"How did you know," Lorelai questioned him, complete happiness filling her voice.

Slightly confused by her reaction, Luke stuttered. "Uh, well, rule of thumb says you can never have too much ice, and it looked like we were getting low when I left."

"Awe, you're the best," she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him and planting a firm kiss on his lips.

"Thanks… I guess." He answered, planting a soft kiss right back. "I better go put these in the cooler before they start to melt."

Just as he started to take a step, Rory turned the corner into the room with a gasp. "Daddy Luke! You're back!" Running over, she threw her arms around his leg. "Hurry! You've got to come see the crown I made for you!"

Smiling, he looked down at her. "Alright, Rory. I'll be in there in a few minutes. Let me put this ice up."

Satisfied with his answer, Rory scurried off. What no one realized was that Emily was watching from the other doorway, observing closely as everything unfolded.

Latching on to his arm, Lorelai walked with Luke into the kitchen. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her father and remembered the crisis at hand. Hurrying the both of them into the kitchen, Lorelai whispered harshly as Luke sat the bags of ice down. "Luke!"

Hearing the anxiety in her tone, he turned around to look at her. "What?"

Grabbing him, she pulling him with her into Rory's room. "My parents are here."

Luke finally caught on to why she was so frantic. Nodding his head, he spoke calmly, "Okay, so your dad showed up. That's good, right?"

"No, Luke." She huffed and began pacing. "Not parent… parents," she spoke, exaggerating the "s".

As hers did when they arrived, Luke's eyes widened in realization, "Your mother came?"

"Yes, but I don't know why! I invited Dad, not her! Either way, though, she clearly has shown that she doesn't like the life I live, so why the hell is she even here?"

"Were you specific?"

Stopping in her tracks, Lorelai sneered at him. "What?"

Knowing she was angry at them and not him, Luke continued plainly. "When you invited him, were you specific that the invitation was only for him?"

"Of course I was," she shot back, clearly agitated at his implication. "I said I was calling to invite _him_ not _him and mom_!"

"Maybe, he didn't realize."

"Maybe he didn't," she answered, throwing her hands out to the side. "He obviously didn't hear the part where I wanted him to call me back. I didn't even know he was coming today! I was not prepared for this."

Closing the gap between them, Luke placed his hands on her shoulders soundly. "Alright… Lorelai, it's going to be okay."

"Luke," she said, a slight hint of insecurity evident in her voice, "I am _not_ prepared for this. I didn't plan an Emily Gilmore party; I planned a Lorelai Gilmore party. There is a _huge_ difference. She will not ruin this day for Rory. I will not let her."

"No one will," he reassured her, "Now that she is here, there is nothing that we can do. Just try to be cordial."

"Just like how she was cordial at dinner," Lorelai spat.

Shaking his head, Luke warned, "Lorelai…"

Sighing, she leaned into his chest, but still spoke strongly. "I know… I'll try to be the bigger person, but I make no promises."

"I'm not asking you to… Just be yourself. Act like she's not here, and celebrate with Rory like you planned."

"Okay." Squeezing his waist, Lorelai pulled back. "Thanks for talking me off the cliff."

"Just doing my job," he smiled.

"Come on." Taking his hand, she pulled him along behind her. "I've got to get back out there to give them their drinks and to do the scavenger hunt."

Before they left the room, Luke stopped her. Planting a soft kiss on her lips for one last bout of reassurance, he spoke. "Let me now if you need anything."

* * *

"Alright," Lorelai spoke kindly to the group of kids in front of her, "Those are the rules, so… 1… 2… 3… Go!" With that, the kids scurried off in different directions throughout the yard.

Back on the porch, Richard sat on the wicker couch, a news paper in hand. Looking around to see the kids completely engrossed in the hunt, and knowing Luke had an eye on them, Lorelai hesitantly climbed the stairs to the porch.

"Dad," she spoke rather coldly, taking a seat on the couch opposite from him.

Closing the paper, Richard pulled his glasses off. "Hello, Lorelai. This is a fine party you have going on."

"Yeah."

"Rory seems to be having a nice time."

"She is…"

"Lorelai," he sighed, "Are you just going to answer in short words, or would you like to have a conversation?"

Tucking her legs under her, Lorelai turned to him with a frown. "Well, Dad, are you just going to sit here, acting like you don't know what I really want to talk about?"

"If this is about your mother…"

As much as she tried, she couldn't help roll her eyes. "Of course this is about mom. Do you not remember the last conversation we had where I said I didn't want to see her yet?"

"I do," Richard spoke in response with a nod. "However, you knew that I preferred to see you with Emily by my side, so I assumed that with the invitation came your understanding of that preference."

"Well you know what they say when you assume," she mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Lorelai answered quickly. "So you didn't happen to notice the part of the message where I said I wanted _you_ to come?"

"Of course I heard it, but I don't feel right leaving your mother at home while I'm out celebrating her granddaughter's birthday."

Taking a deep breath, Lorelai shook her head in disbelief. "Well, whether you feel right or not, dad, she wasn't invited."

"She has been nothing but cordial so far," Richard answered sternly, "She has kept her distance. I informed her that she must behave today because this day is about Rory. It is not a day to fight."

"Because your request worked so well when we had dinner," she spat.

"Lorelai…"

Shaking her head adamantly, she continued, "No. Don't 'Lorelai' me… The last two times I have been around mom she has done something completely disrespectful."

"And I understand that, however, she will not today."

Sighing, knowing she wasn't getting anywhere, Lorelai resigned. "Fine… but if she does something to ruin this day for Rory…"

"Then I will hear about it. I know. Just give your mother a chance."

"Okay, Dad…" she grumbled as she stood up. Speaking just loud enough for him to hear as she walked away, Lorelai added, "Because I haven't given her two chances already."

* * *

"Present time! Present time! Open the present to see what's inside!" Lorelai called, clapping her hands as she stepped back into the living room.

"Mommy, are you going to say that with every present," Rory questioned.

Smirking, Lorelai answered, "Well, I was, but I'm guessing you don't want me to, so I'll stop… Alright, whose present is next, kid?"

"The card said Grandpa and Grandma." Taking off the elaborate bow and carefully puling the shiny, purple paper, Rory opened the box to see the book set of _Anne of Green Gables_. Gasping, she held one of the books up. "Mommy, look! It's Anne! There's every book!" Turning to her grandparents, she smiled brightly. "Thank you!"

Chuckling at her excitement, Richard answered with a smile of his own. "You're welcome, Rory. We were going to go for something else, but your grandmother believed this was the better set."

"It's amazing! Thanks grandpa! Thanks grandma!" Jumping up out of her seat, she hugged each of them.

When Rory finally returned to her chair, Lorelai spoke up. "Alright, well, I guess it's time for my present." Turning to Mia who was standing in the doorway of the foyer, she nodded.

"Are you ready, Rory," Mia asked.

"Yeah!"

After stepping out of the room, Mia brought back in with her a small, purple bike with white pom-poms and a silver and white basket.

Hopping up from the chair and at Lorelai, Rory leaped into her arms. "A bike! It's a real bike!"

Kissing her daughter's cheek, she smiled. "I know… go sit on it."

Shimmying from her arms and running over, Rory climbed carefully onto the bike, the training wheels holding her up.

"It looks like the perfect fit," Mia added with a smile of her own.

"It's perfect!" Climbing back off, Rory hugged Lorelai again. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweets." Turning back to the guests, Lorelai began to speak. "Alright, everyone…"

"Wait Mommy," Rory called sweetly as she emerged from behind the chair. "There is one more."

"Who's that from, hon?"

Clearing his throat quietly from beside her, Luke whispered in her ear, "That's from me."

At the same time, Rory informed her, "It's from Daddy Luke."

Looking back at him with a soft smile, Lorelai answered, "Well, alright. Open it then."

Pulling the smaller box off of the top, Rory opened the larger box first. Opening it up, she found it filled with various small kitchen utensils, lacking knives and other sharp objects, of course. "Cooking stuff!" Rory exclaimed looking up with a bright smile.

Lorelai turned back to Luke with a peculiar look. "Cooking stuff?"

Running a nervous hand across the back of his neck, Luke stammered, "Uh, yeah… When she was with me at the diner earlier this week, she mentioned that she wanted to help me cook. Of course, I couldn't let her do it there, but I thought if I got her the stuff here, she could help me when I come over and cook dinner."

Nothing but happiness filled Lorelai's eyes as she answered, "That's sweet." Wanting to thank him, but knowing he wouldn't want more attention brought to him, she turned back to Rory and pointed. "Don't forget the smaller box too."

"Oh yeah!" Ripping the paper off, Rory beamed. "It's a librarian Barbie! Look at all the little books!"

At the sound of the word Barbie, Lorelai's breath caught in her throat. _"He got her a Barbie."_ Thinking back, she remembered, for a moment, the conversation they had in the diner when she shared her feelings about her own father.

 _"Taking a sudden interest in the floor, Lorelai avoided looking in Luke's eyes, knowing that if she did, he would see the moisture gathering in them. "Thanks, but you don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault. My dad raised me the way he was taught to. I know I tell you this all the time, but I really did come from a different world. Dads... They don't take their daughters to the mall… They don't listen to their hopes and dreams… They don't buy them the Barbie."_

"Mommy?"

Drawn out of her memory by Rory's voice, she answered, "Yeah, hon?"

"That's all the presents," she informed her, holding up her hands and showing her they were empty.

"Okay… Did you say thank you to every one?"

Nodding with a bright smile, Rory answered, "Mhmm!"

With a clap of her hands, Lorelai turned back to all her guests. "Alright, well, even though Rory did, I would like to thank you all for coming. I know it's getting late, but Sookie is waiting in the kitchen for everyone to make ice cream sundaes, so you guys can have at it."

The kids and Rory all cheered and scrambled up, running into the kitchen as their parents followed closely behind.

As soon as everyone left the room, Lorelai turned back to Luke and pulled him with her to the corner of the living room wearing a bright smile. Leaning close to him, she spoke softly, "You got her a Barbie?"

"Yeah," he answered back in the same tone.

Pecking his cheek, she whispered, "Thank you... thank you so much."

Nodding, Luke grinned. "It's no problem. I saw it while I was out, and I thought of her… plain and simple."

"But it is… really, thank you."

Knowing there were kids in the next room, Luke planted a short but meaningful kiss on her lips. "You're welcome." Looking over her head, he caught glimpse of Emily going up stairs. Tapping her shoulder, he pointed over to the stair case. "Look."

"Uh oh," Lorelai sighed as she saw her mother reach the top, "I guess I'll be right back."

Following quietly up the stairs, Lorelai entered her room to see Emily pick up the edge of her quilt. Clearing her throat, she spoke up. "I made that."

Not aware that anyone had followed her, Emily jumped slightly. Looking back at Lorelai, she wore a slight look of disbelief on her face. "Really?"

"Yeah, from Rory's old baby clothes."

"How nice. I hope you washed them first."

Snapping her finger, Lorelai did her best to keep the tone light, for her sake and her mother's. "Oh rats! I knew I forgot something."

Rolling her eyes at Lorelai's antics, Emily spoke indifferently, "That's quite the assortment of characters you've assembled down there."

"They're great people," Lorelai smiled.

"That woman, Patricia," Emily prodded curiously, having seen Patty's eyes linger on Richard more than one occasion.

"Miss Patty," Lorelai corrected.

"She teaches dance?"

A knowing grin spread across Lorelai's face. "Among other things."

"And Luke?"

Immediately, Lorelai's mind went into defense mode. Crossing her arms across her, she questioned back, "What about Luke?"

"Everything is going well I suppose?"

"Uh, yeah. Everything is great," she responded shortly.

"There's no need to be curt, Lorelai. I'm merely asking a question."

Dropping her arms to her side, Lorelai rolled her eyes. "With all due respect, Mom, you've made it clear that your opinion of Luke isn't very high, so forgive me if I don't really want to discuss him with you."

"Lorelai," Emily sighed, "Your father made it clear that I was to not make a scene here today. Now, I may not agree with anything that I have witnessed, but by the will of your father, I am keeping my comments to myself today."

"Well that's a first," Lorelai mumbled under her breath.

Ignoring her remark, Emily pressed once again. "So, Luke."

"What about Luke?"

"Let me ask you something… Do you think that man loves you?"

At the question, Lorelai was immediately confused. Her mother looked sincere in questioning, but she couldn't help but suspect that she was fishing for information. Knowing Luke would want her to be honest about them, Lorelai responded truthfully. "Yeah, I do. He told me."

"Well I can definitely tell."

Almost all of the defense within her fell, and Lorelai became curious. With a furrowed brow, she questioned, "And you're judging this by what?"

"By the way he looked at you."

"Which is how."

"Like you were about to give him a lap dance."

Unable to keep the giggle from escaping her mouth, Lorelai smiled. While the prospect of doing so had its appeal, a lap dance with Luke was not something she wanted to discuss with her mother. "Mom, he does not look at me like that."

"He sure does… and you're pleased," Emily added with a sly look. "You're pleased that your diner man looks at you like a porterhouse steak."

"Well, Mom, I would hope that my boyfriend looks at me and thinks I'm attractive… If he didn't there would be a problem."

"Oh, I'm aware, but I'll tell you, it's hard to find someone who looks at you the way Luke does. It's like he is in complete awe of you."

Cocking her head, Lorelai questioned honestly, "You think so?"

"Heaven help me, I do."

"O-kay…"

Unable to be deterred from the subject, Emily pressed on. "So… he's in love with you. Are you in love with him?"

"I do love him… I really do," Lorelai answered confidently.

"I can tell…"

Letting her mother's words sit, Lorelai sat on her bed unsure of how to continue the conversation.

"Is he planning on proposing?" Emily spoke softly, interrupting the silence.

"I don't know Mom… We haven't really talked about it. We've only been dating since April."

"That's almost 6 months, Lorelai," Emily informed her immediately.

"I know," Lorelai answered, "But we're just going with it and seeing what happens."

"Just going with it? So is this even a serious thing?"

At the tone and wording of the questions, Lorelai was quickly back on the defensive. "Of course it is."

"Well, I was just curious. Most of the time, couples usually plan for their future, but maybe you and Luke are different."

"Yeah, maybe we are." Not wanting to get into her future, knowing she and Luke definitely hadn't discussed the long term yet, Lorelai sought her way out. "Look mom, I'm sure Rory is probably going to be looking for me soon, so I'm gonna go back down."

"Very well; Your father and I will probably be leaving soon anyway."

* * *

"It looks like Rory's all tuckered out," Lorelai called from the sink as Luke walked into the kitchen. "Check out what's in her hand."

Looking into her room, Luke say Rory curled up asleep on her bed, surrounded by gifts all sorted into piles with the Barbie doll in her hand. Turning back, he looked to Lorelai with a smile. "I think she had a good time."

"I do too…" Turning off the water and drying her hands, she grabbed Luke's and pulled him into the living room with her. As soon as they sat down on the couch, he found Lorelai's lips on his insistently.

"What was that for," he questioned, running his hand down her arm and lacing his fingers through hers as they pulled apart.

"Thank you."

Smiling, Luke asked, "For what?"

'For your help today, for Rory's present, for keeping me calm when my parents showed up," she called off, "Oh, and did I mention Rory's gift?" Planting another light kiss to his lips and curling up against him, she sighed happily. "I can't explain how much that means to me."

Trailing his other hand through her hair, Luke responded with a quiet, "You're welcome."

"And to think, we get to do the whole party thing again soon. If I remember right, I believe someone's birthday is coming up in a few weeks… November 14th, maybe?"

Groaning, Luke shifted to where he could look her in the eye. "Oh no… we are _not_ celebrating my birthday with a party. I don't do parties."

"But Luke," Lorelai whined. "It's the first birthday you get to celebrate with me! I have to go all out!"

Shaking his head, he refused. "Nope. Not happening."

Rolling her eyes, she sighed. "Fine, but we are doing something for your birthday," She said and poked his chest. "Even if it is just you, me, and Rory."

As their conversation naturally ended, the enjoyed the moment of silence they found themselves in. Still having a hold of Lorelai's hand, Luke pulled her over to him and into his lap. "I forgot to tell you… for the record, I am very proud of you."

Confused at his sudden change in topic, Lorelai looked at him curiously, "For what?"

"For not completely losing it with your mom…"

"Yeah," Lorelai shrugged. "This is probably the most bearable day I've had with my mother in a long time."

"That's a good thing, right."

"I guess… I still don't know what to do about her. Just because she was able to control herself _once_ at a party she wasn't even invited to doesn't mean that she's in the clear. I mean, she was actually kind of nice when we talked upstairs, but this could be just a one-time thing," she rambled pessimistically. "I'm not being crazy… at least I don't think I am."

"You're not crazy… you're just being careful," Luke reassured.

"Yeah… careful. I was being really careful upstairs," she said out loud, really meaning to only think it to herself.

"Speaking of the upstairs, what happened up there," he questioned, nodding towards the stairs. "I expected to have to break up a yelling match."

Realizing she had said it to where Luke could hear her, Lorelai stuttered her answer, as she tucked a strand of hair insecurely around her ear. "Oh, uh, that."

"Yeah, that… what's with the sudden shyness?"

Remembering her mother's prodding about whether an engagement was coming and not really sure if she wanted to discuss it now, Lorelai wracked her brain for how to respond. "Well… I don't know what she went up there for, but talk turned to you."

"Uh huh… I guess I'm still not good enough, right?"

"Oh gosh no… but apparently you look at me like you are in awe of me."

Chuckling, Luke questioned curiously. "In awe of _you_?"

"Mhmm," Lorelai smiled, satisfied that he didn't press her further on the other specifics of their conversation, "You, Luke Danes, are in complete awe of me, Lorelai Gilmore."

"Says who?"

"Says Emily Gilmore… In her words, you look at me like I'm about to give you a lap dance, like I'm a porterhouse steak."

Tapping his chin, Luke pretended to ponder her words. "Now that I agree with," he said in a sexy, low voice.

"Oh my gosh, Luke," Lorelai exclaimed, slapping his chest.

"What? That's the first thing I've heard your mother say that I agree with."

"A lap dance, huh," she grinned naughtily. Standing up from the couch, she slowly unzipped the jacket she was wearing and began swaying her hips and dancing playfully.

"Lorelai, what are you doing," Luke questioned with a lap, reaching out for her.

Backing away from his meddling hands, she laughed and dropped her jacket to the floor. "I just want to see the look she was yakking about."

"C'mere." Extending his arm further, Luke caught hold of her belt loop and pulled her onto his lap.

Looking down at him, Lorelai saw the desire in his eyes. "Oh, that look… I like that look." Wearing a bright smile, leaned down and kissed him. Finally finding a moment alone, she took advantage and shifted to straddle his lap, her hands coming to rest on his cheeks, holding him to her. Just before getting lost in the feeling of his lips on hers, knowing he wouldn't want to go further, Lorelai pulled back with a soft sigh. "Do you have to open in the morning."

His head still foggy, Luke took a second to clear his mind. "Oh, uh, yeah," he whispered, running his finger along her bottom lip.

"You still want to go out tomorrow night? Sookie said today that she was still up for it, and I really need my Luke time," she answered softly, trailing a her hands up and down his chest.

"Sounds good… you know, I have to open tomorrow, but I could always stay here tonight… if you want."

"Really," Lorelai questioned with slight disbelief, "You are gonna get up earlier just so you can stay here instead of the diner?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Immediately, a bright smile overtook her face. "I love you…" Pecking his lips one last time, Lorelai stood up, pulling him with her. "Come on, let's go get cozy."

Though Luke couldn't tell, as she walked up the stairs ahead of him, Lorelai's mind was filled with a flurry of thoughts about them and their future. Shockingly, all of her thoughts led her to a conclusion she was slightly scared but also excited for: _"Maybe its time to talk about our middle."_

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you all so much for your input! I love to hear what you guys have to say! Since there was so much positive feedback, I think I will throw Rachel into the mix. No worries, I'm not gonna screw anything up, and I am going to be very careful with her character. I want her around to help, not to hurt.**

 **It was brought to my attention that some of you couldn't review Chapter 25. I don't know what is causing it, but since I reorganized the story, it may not let you because you posted on my previous Chapter 25. That's my best guess as to why it is happening. I'm sorry if that is happening to you! I am hoping that it is some kind of glitch that will be fixed, but if not, if you want to send a review in as a PM to me, I will still definitely look at it!**


	27. Chapter 27:Hey, how's it going?

**Chapter 27: "Hey, how's it going?"**

"Rise and shine, Burger Boy! It's Halloween week," Lorelai called loudly as she came into the diner.

Picking up the rag next to him, Luke rolled his eyes and began to scrub the counter. "What was that? I don't think the people out on Oak Street could hear you…" he deadpanned.

"Aw, come on. Be happy, Luke. It's almost Halloween! It's the one day you can be anything you want, and no one can say anything!"

"Yeah, well, I'm just gonna be a diner owner if that's alright with you."

"Actually…"

Hearing the tone in her voice, Luke looked up and immediately frowned. "No."

"Come on… You should dress up and come trick or treating with me and Rory! I would say that we could go to the party later in the night, but I've got to get Rory in bed because Halloween just _had_ to fall on a school night this year."

Shaking his head, he looked at her with a stern glare. "No to the party, no to the trick or treating, and hell no to the costume."

"You know," Lorelai spoke with a playful glimmer in her eye, "You say that now, but you and I both know that by Thursday night, you are gonna be walking the streets of Stars Hollow with me and Rory, and you _will_ be in a costume."

"Yeah, right…" When the pot of coffee behind him finally finished brewing, Luke grabbed it and held it up in front of her. "Mug or cup?"

"Cup, I've got to get in early this morning for a meeting with Mia."

"Here." Grabbing the tongs from the counter, Luke questioned further. "Donut or muffin?"

"Both… chocolate donut and cinnamon sugar muffin."

Quickly placing both in a bag, he handed it out to her. "There… anything else?"

Smiling at his gruff, but obviously caring actions, Lorelai shook her head. "I think I'm good. Sookie and I will probably be in for lunch. We've got some errands to run on break."

"Sounds good."

Placing her hand on top of his, she added playfully, "And be thinking about what costume you want to wear."

"Dream on, Gilmore."

"I don't know, Danes. I get a feeling that this will be a good week for me, and you dressing up is something that will make it good." She grinned mischievously and offered up a kiss. "Bye, doll. I'll see you later."

After seeing her out, Luke went back to work by starting a new batch of decaf coffee. Just as he pressed the start button to the machine, he heard an oddly familiar greeting.

"Hey, how's it going?"

When the voice finally registered, he froze, afraid to look. Noticeably, the diner grew silent, waiting for his reaction. Slowly, Luke turned around, his eyes wide. "Rachel?"

"It's me."

"What are you… I mean, I thought you were in the Congo or Philadelphia or something," he stuttered.

"Actually, though very similar to both the Congo and Philadelphia, I was in the Mideast." Rachel reasoned with a smile.

"Oh, I guess that post card must've gotten lost."

"Yeah, yeah. Well, things are pretty crazy over there, not a lot of writing time. But I finished up my assignment, and I flew back to Chicago, and I was walking through O'Hare, and I look up, and there's a plane leaving for Hartford in like 20 minutes, and all of a sudden, I'm on it."

"Nice story."

Shaking her head, Rachel sighed. "I should have called."

Suddenly unsure of what to do with his hands, Luke adjusted hat and cleared his throat. "No… you… it's fine." he answered, not exactly sure of what he was supposed to say.

"You look good."

"Thanks. You, um, you look, you, you uh, look… yeah." Uncomfortable, he ran his hands nervously across the back of his neck.

"So, uh, can I crash here for a while? I'll help with the diner and all to earn my keep."

"Oh, uh, sure. Why not." As soon as the words left his mouth, Luke cringed. With Lorelai immediately popping into his mind, he realized that she probably wouldn't be too happy. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to dwell on that thought before someone needed something. Deciding that he would explain everything to her later when she came in, Luke grabbed the coffee pot and went back to work, trying to stay out of Rachel's way as much as possible.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Sook, I'm gonna figure out a way to get him to dress up."

"Well, if you do, make sure you take a picture. I don't think I've ever seen Luke dress up for Halloween."

"I'll make it happen… If anything, I'll get Rory to ask."

"Ooo, that's playing dirty. He'll do anything for Rory… Who knew Luke Danes was such a softy." Sookie laughed.

Laughing along with her, Lorelai grinned. "I know, but don't tell him that. I already give him enough of a hard time about it as it is."

Passing by the magazine stand on the way to the diner, Lorelai overheard the ladies of "Hello Magazine" having their daily chat.

"Are you sure he's not happy about him and Lorelai like last time," Tilly questioned rather loudly, obviously not worried about trying to keep their conversation a secret.

Noticing the use of her name, Lorelai stopped Sookie by placing her hand on her shoulder, and they listened.

Shaking her head, Miss Patty frowned. "Oh, no honey. He's definitely not happy. The poor boy looks like he doesn't know what to do."

Taking a step closer to them, Babette added, "Yeah, you should have seen his face when Rachel walked in."

Hearing the dreaded name, Lorelai's heart sunk and her eyes widened. _"So much for my good week."_

Sookie, seeing her reaction, became the voice of reason and whispered, "Lorelai, don't freak out until you talk to Luke."

"I know," she whispered back harshly. In her heart, Lorelai didn't actually think that Luke would do anything, but her mind was afraid to hear anything else. Holding on to hope, she listened carefully to hear if Luke wasn't happy with his ex's return.

"I also heard that he's letting her work there and stay at the apartment," Tilly added with shock filling her voice, "Patty, is that true?"

"I don't know what Luke was thinking, but he definitely said he would let her stay there… And we all know that if she's staying there, she's going to work there. That's what happened last time she came back, and we all heard him agree to it."

"I can only imagine what Lorelai's gonna say," Babette rasped with a sigh, "Rachel is Rachel! If I was her, I wouldn't be too happy with my man inviting his ex to stay with him."

Unable to stand back any longer, Lorelai interrupted. "Well, you guessed right… She's not very happy."

Embarrassed they had been caught, the ladies stood in silence, none of them knowing what to say. Deciding to press for more information, Lorelai questioned, "How long has she been here?"

Patty, seeing the worry etched in her eyes, shook her head. "Oh honey, don't worry. She's only been here for a couple of hours. I'm sure Luke was going to call you soon."

"Of course. And you said she was staying with him? In his apartment?"

"That's what we heard, but we could be wrong," she answered unconvincingly.

"Yeah, I'm sure…" Deciding not to stew and instead go to Luke's straightaway, Lorelai sighed. "If you'll excuse me ladies, I think I'm gonna go see Luke." Turning back to Sookie, she frowned. "I will meet you back at the inn later. Are you good with that?"

"Of course honey," Sookie smiled unconvincingly, "Just call when you can."

As Lorelai went on her way, Sookie stepped closer to the group of ladies. "Oh my gosh, Rachel at the apartment! What the hell was Luke thinking?"

With a shake of her head, Patty answered, "I don't think he was…"

"Well, he's in for it now… I only hope that Lorelai doesn't do anything too rash."

* * *

Walking into the diner, Lorelai immediately noticed Luke standing awkwardly behind the counter, his order pad hanging limply from his hand. Meanwhile, a woman, who she assumed was Rachel, moved quickly and efficiently around to each table.

Looking up when he heard the bells, Luke saw the look on her face. Without saying anything, he turned to walk behind the curtain and into the apartment and she followed.

Closing the door behind her, Lorelai didn't even give Luke a chance to speak before she spoke harshly. "Luke… do you want to tell me why I heard _through the grape vine_ and not from you that Rachel was back in town and she's working in your diner?"

Sighing, Luke took a seat at the table. "I figured you would find out tonight when you came for dinner and I'd explain then."

Ignoring his answer, she breathed an exasperated groan. "Gah, Luke. Just when I'm starting to have full confidence in our relationship, she has to come back in and try to screw things up!"

"Lorelai, it's not that big of a deal."

All the doubt and worry she accumulated on the way to the diner came out in one angry burst. "Not that big of a deal! Luke, how would you like it if Chris magically showed up and started working with me at the inn, and the way you found out was through Miss Patty and the gossip mill?!"

"I would hate it…"

"Exactly, you would hate it. Going along with that, I also found out that you told Rachel to stay here at the apartment! What am I supposed to think when I hear that not only is my boyfriend's ex back, but that she is staying in his _tiny_ apartment that only has _one_ bed?"

Not in the mood to be attacked, Luke stood from his chair and raised his voice to meet hers. "I know! It wasn't my best decision ever, but I didn't think! She's an old friend, and she needed a place to stay!"

"And I get that she's a friend, but she's not _just_ a friend, Luke! She's an ex! How am I supposed to trust that she won't try anything while staying here? Does she even know you're taken?"

"I didn't have a chance to tell her yet, but once I do, she won't try anything! She's not like that! But either way, don't you trust me?"

Throwing her hands out to the side in exasperation, Lorelai began gesturing wildly. "Yes, of course I trust you! I just don't trust her!" Turning back to him, her eyes were filled with fire and fear. "You've even told me yourself that every time she came back her, it's because you wanted me back! That's most likely why she came here today! What if she finally decided that she doesn't want to be rootless anymore? What if she's finally ready for you?"

"I don't care if she's ready for me! She could promise me the world, and I would still say no! I don't want her; I have you!" Pointing an accusing finger at her, Luke fired back, "If Christopher came to town again and made promises to be a good dad and said he was finally ready for you, would you take him back?"

"This isn't about me and Christopher! This is about you and Rachel!"

"Well would you?" He questioned indignantly.

"Of course not!"

"Well, alright then! I will not leave you for Rachel either! You just have to trust me! I love you, Lorelai, not her!"

"Then I'm going to have to trust you, because I love you too!" Taking a deep breath, Lorelai stopped pacing. Looking at him dead in the eye, her voice took on a coldness he hadn't heard before. "I'm going to trust you, Luke… But I swear on everything that is holy, if you screw me over, there will be hell to pay."

"I won't; I promise."

At the finish of his words, the room was silent except for the sounds of their labored breathing as they both tried to catch their breath. Walking slowly over to the counter, Lorelai hopped up and hung her head. After a few minutes, she sighed softly. "Boy, we really know how to hash it out, don't we?"

Shaking his head, Luke laughed a short chuckle. "Yeah, we do."

With a lowered voice, she spoke barely above a whisper. "So, what are we going to do?"

Finally realizing the hole he dug himself into, he groaned. "I don't know." Removing his cap, he stood up to pace, running his fingers nervously through his hair as he tried to come up with an idea.

"Just to let you know, there's no way in hell that I'll ever be okay with you staying here with her." Kicking her feet back and forth and tapping the cabinet at her feet, she took a minute to think and continued, "I know that you're a grown man and all and you can make your own decisions, but Luke, I really don't like the idea of it."

"Well where else am I supposed to go?"

Shooting out the only idea she could come up with, Lorelai spoke. "I guess you can just stay at my place until she leaves."

Shaking his head vehemently, Luke frowned. "I can't do that. I don't want it to affect Rory."

"Rory will be fine. You have already spent the night a few times. She's used to you being around by now."

"Are you sure?" He questioned, his eyes searching her face for any form of doubt.

"Absolutely… Luke, I can deal with you working with Rachel. Even though that makes me slightly uncomfortable, I'll deal with it. But you have to understand, I really don't like the idea of you sleeping in the same room as her."

"I know… I don't want to sleep in the same room with her either. I guess we can do that." Satisfied with the result, Luke sat down heavily back in the chair, placing his cap back on his head.

"Thank you." After a moment of looking at him hunched over the table in front of her, Lorelai spoke hesitantly. "Can I be honest with you?"

Sensing the fear in her voice, Luke looked up and spoke a calm, "Always."

"Hearing that she was back scared me to death."

"Why?"

Looking anywhere but his eyes, Lorelai shrugged her shoulders.

"Lorelai," Luke spoke with a sad sigh. Knowing how he would have felt if Christopher showed up, he chose his words carefully. "I told you, you mean so much more to me than she ever did. That sounds awful, I know, but it's the truth. What I have with you… It's different. I'm not going to change my mind all of a sudden."

"I know… I know you've told me. I was just worried that you would realize that your memories were wrong or something and decide that you did actually love her more."

"My memories aren't wrong… I thought wrong when I didn't tell you she was here, and I thought wrong when I stupidly invited her to stay at the apartment, but I know I'm in the right mind when I say that I choose you."

Something about not only what he said but the way he said it made her hear jump in her chest. Wearing a bright smile, she looked at him lovingly. "And you say you're not good with words."

Seeing the regret still etched on his face, Lorelai smiled sympathetically. "Hey…" she called softly, waiting for him to look up. When he finally did, she waved him over. "Come over here."

Standing up, Luke walked over to her slowly. When he finally reached her, she wrapped her arms around him and looked up at him with a grin. "You know I'm not really mad at you, right?"

Chuckling, he shook his head. "Not anymore."

Laughing along with him, Lorelai said, "Definitely not anymore." Growing serious, she tiled his face down so his eyes would meet hers. "You're a good guy, Luke Danes… sometimes you make stupid decisions, but you're a good guy. My guy."

"Thanks… gah, look at all the stupid decisions I've made," Luke spoke self-deprecatingly.

"But I still love you anyway…" Stroking his stubbly cheek, Lorelai continued. "I mean, I'd like to show you, but we'll just have to settle for the words for a while while Rachel stays here, since you don't like doing _things_ with Rory downstairs at the house." She spoke, raising her eyebrows naughtily near the end.

Smiling, Luke planted a soft kiss on her lips. When she tried to pull away, he placed his hand on the back of her neck, holding her to him. Mumbling against his lips, Lorelai spoke slowly, "What are you doing?"

Dropping his attention to her neck, Luke attached his lips to her smooth skin, nipping and nibbling his way down. "Rory's not here, and Rachel is downstairs. Might as well take what I can get now."

Letting out a satisfied sigh, Lorelai basked in the feelings he was giving her. "It might be a while before you get to do this again."

"I know… that's why I'm doing this now."

Unable to take it any longer, Lorelai pulled his lips back to hers and wrapped her legs around his waist, forcing him to her. The room was silent, except for the soft sounds of their sighs and moans filling the air.

Suddenly, the door opened. "Hey Luke, I…"

Pulling apart at the sound, Luke dropped his forehead to Lorelai's as her legs fell from his waist. "Aw jeez," he whispered.

Lorelai, wiping her lip gloss form his lips, looked over at Rachel with an embarrassed yet victorious smile. "You were saying?"

Shuffling her feet nervously, Rachel took sudden interest in the floor. "Uh, I was just coming up here to get Luke because it's getting busy downstairs… But I guess he is… occupied."

At her words, Lorelai could feel Luke tense. Unconsciously, she began to stroke up and down his back, a motion not unnoticed by Rachel.

Still not having gathered himself, Luke turned halfway around to look back at the doorway. "I'll be down in a minute."

"Yeah, thanks…"

As soon as Rachel could be heard going down the stairs, Lorelai busted out laughing.

Groaning, Luke took a step back from her, trying to settle himself. "It's not funny."

"Of course it's not… That is one of the most awkward situations I've ever been in," she answered, still laughing slightly.

"I don't even want to go back down there."

"I don't want you to either." Though he was further away, Lorelai was still just able to reach Luke. Locking her ankles behind his back, she called, "Come back here a second."

Shaking his head, Luke frowned. "I don't think I can do this now."

"That's not what I want… Come here."

Taking steps back to her, he came into her embrace.

Tilting her face up, Lorelai captured his lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. "As much as I still want to be here with you, I've got to get back to the inn. Since I missed lunch, I'll come back with Rory later tonight and we'll eat dinner here."

"Okay… I'm okay with later," he agreed.

Hopping off the counter, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Nuzzling into her hair, Luke gave the top of her head one last peck. "I'll see you for dinner."

"See you tonight," Lorelai smiled. When she got to the door, she opened it but stopped and turned back to him. "Hey, Luke?"

Looking over to her, he answered, "Yeah?"

"I love you…"

"I love you too, Lorelai."

* * *

Finally ready to go back downstairs, Luke slowly trotted down to see Rachel moving efficiently around the dining room, just as she was when he left. After making rounds of his own and after the crowd died down, he moved back to the store room, hoping to buy some alone time.

Unsurprisingly, Rachell soon appeared in the door frame. "So… you have a girlfriend?"

Not taking his eyes off of the box, Luke cut it open and answered simply, "Uh huh."

"Does she have a name?"

"Her name is Lorelai."

Rachel began to question again, but was stopped by Luke raising his hand at her. "And before you ask, yes, it's very serious, and we've been together since April."

"Okay, so this isn't new."

"No it's not."

An awkward silence developed between them. Stepping further into the room, Rachel cleared her throat. "Uh, so I am sorry about upstairs."

Sighing, Luke looked up and gave her a knowing look. "Lorelai hasn't realized it yet, but you and I know that the walls in this place are paper thin. I'm sure you heard us arguing and then heard us stop. You knew something was going on."

Looking at the shelf behind him, Rachel frowned. "Yeah, but I didn't know _that_ was what you were doing."

Taking a seat on the stool by the table, Luke crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. "Rach, what are you doing here?"

"I told you. I've missed this place… It's been a while since I have been home."

Grumbling, Luke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, no kidding."

"Luke," she spoke with a slightly warning tone. Seeing the second stool, she perched herself on it across the table from him.

The tone she used registering with him, Luke shook his head quickly. "No… don't try to defend yourself. I've heard the speech before."

"Well, Luke, what else am I supposed to say? I needed to get out of here… there was just too much…"

"No…" Luke cut her off. "That's a conversation for another day." Standing up, he walked to the door and leaned against the door frame. "Listen, you can have the apartment and work here as long as you want, but I won't be staying here. I'm staying at Lorelai's"

"Is there a reason you're being so gruff with me? I know you're grumpy as is and that we're exes, but I always thought you'd treat me like a friend. Does Lorelai not like me or something?"

"That's not it… Lorelai doesn't even know you, so she can't hate you, and she isn't even that angry that you're here. She's more pissed that I wasn't the one to tell her you were here…"

"Then what's the problem, Luke?"

Sighing, Luke spoke confidently, "Rachel, you'll always be my friend, you know that, but I'm not going to be the same Luke you have visited in the past. Things have to be different because I'm different. Please, don't try anything that's going to affect Lorelai."

"I won't."

* * *

Later that evening, as promised, Lorelai walked into the diner. Seeing that she was having a conversation with Babette, Lorelai allowed Rory to stay out on the side walk, knowing that Babette would come in with her shortly. Much to her dismay, her diner man was nowhere to be seen, and in his place at the counter Rachel stood refilling the coffee machine. As much as she wanted to be completely okay with Rachel's arrival, she couldn't help the twinge of jealousy that arose in the pit of her stomach. Trying to ignore it, she approached the counter with a neutral look on her face.

"Hey, is Luke here?" she questioned.

"Um, yeah. He's been in the kitchen since earlier this afternoon." Hesitantly extending her hand across the counter, Rachel spoke politely. "I'm Rachel, by the way. I know you probably know that, but I thought I'd properly introduce myself."

"Uh, yeah. I do know that." Taking her hand loosely, Lorelai continued. "But I'm Lorelai. Nice to meet you."

"Listen, I'm sorry about earlier… If I had known, I wouldn't have gone up there and interrupted."

"It's okay. I had a meeting at the inn to get to anyway."

Not knowing why she was surprised, Rachel looked at Lorelai peculiarly. "The inn? You work for Mia?"

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded along. "I'm the front desk manager. I just got the position a few months ago. I was a maid a while before that."

Looking Lorelai over, Rachel pondered her thoughts. Knowing how she felt about the intimacy of a small town, she wondered why anyone not from Stars Hollow could end up there. "So… You didn't grow up in Stars Hollow? What brought you here? It''s a small town, and there's not really that much to do."

"Well, when I came here, a small, quite town was what I was looking for."

Before Lorelai could continue, Luke came out of the kitchen wiping his hands with a towel. Rachel couldn't help but notice how the immediate smile that appeared on his face when he saw Lorelai disappeared when he realized she was standing nearby.

"Hey. I didn't know you were here yet."

"I just got here." Tossing her head towards the storeroom, Lorelai questioned, "Can we talk for a sec?"

"Sure. You got this?" Luke questioned Rachel.

"Yeah, I'm good."

Rachel watched as they reached the end of the counter and saw how Luke slipped his hand quickly into Lorelai's. Stopping her jaw from dropping at even the slightest bit of PDA, Rachel couldn't believe the actions of the man she had once been engaged to.

After they entered the storage room, Luke closed the door behind them. "So, what's up?"

"Hold that thought." Closing the gap between them, Lorelai kissed him hard.

Finally pulling apart, Luke smirked. "Okay, then."

"Sorry," Lorelai smiled, ducking her head. "I didn't get it out of my system earlier." Loosely, she draped her arms across his waist. "So, I told Rory that you're gonna be staying with us, and she is over the moon. You have nothing to worry about."

"Okay, good," Luke answered, releasing the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "And you're still okay with it?"

Grinning, Lorelai shook her head. "Of course. I like having my Luke pillow… You're much better than my regular one."

Rolling his eyes, Luke frowned teasingly. "Oh great…I can't wait."

Bringing herself up against him, Lorelai rose to her tip toes, making her face level with his. "What? You don't want my body pressed up against yours? I seem to remember a few times where you couldn't seem to get close enough to me. In fact, if I remember right, that's what you wanted earlier this afternoon."

Out of instinct, Luke found his hands falling on the small of her back, tracing circles. "Yeah, but usually I can take advantage of it. This time, you're just going to be an unfair temptation."

Scoffing, Lorelai narrowed her eyes at him. "Hey there, Bucko. You can't blame me. You're the one that's shy about this whole thing. If I had it my way, we would have christened my room a good many times by now."

Grumbling, Luke frowned. "Aw, jeez. I hate that word."

"What, christened?"

"Yes… that word should never mean anything else but a baby's baptism."

A playful glimmer appeared in Lorelai's eyes. "Well, there are plenty of other words that I could use… I could say f-…"

Placing his finger over her lips, Luke shook his head. "I'd rather you didn't."

With a smile on her face, Lorelai pressed a kiss to the pad of his finger and pulled away. "Awe, you're no fun."

"And you're a crude."

"But you love me anyway." Planting a short peck on his lips, Lorelai pulled his hands from her back and placed one of them in hers. "Come on. Rory's probably done talking to Babette by now. I better get back out there to get her before Patty gets to her too."

* * *

As they walked out, Luke and Lorelai looked over to see Rory on a stool, having a clearly animated conversation with Rachel.

"You've been to New York," Rory exclaimed smiling. "My mommy said we could go there when I'm bigger."

"Well, it's a very fun place," Rachel smiled. Seeing the couple approaching, she met them at the end of the counter. Tossing her thumb over her shoulder, she questioned, "Who does she belong to? She said her name was Rory Gilmore… the last name doesn't ring any bells."

Smiling, Lorelai took her seat by Rory. "Actually, she's my daughter. Rory is short for Lorelai."

Unsurprisingly, a look of shock overtook Rachel's face. "You have a daughter?"

Having seen the look many times before, Lorelai shook her head and spoke plainly. "Yeah… and before you try to do the math, I was sixteen when I had her. Hence the need for a quiet town…"

"You came here at sixteen?" Seeing the look on Rachel's face, both Luke and Lorelai could tell she was trying to connect some dots. "Wait, you work at the inn. You're the girl that Mia took in right before I left the second time?"

Nodding, Lorelai smiled. "Yep, that's me… Mia took us in, and we've been here ever since."

"Okay…"

"Rachel, are you my Daddy Luke's friend that is staying here?" Rory questioned innocently.

Luke didn't, but Lorelai saw the flash of surprise and some other emotion on Rachel's face after hearing Rory's name for Luke. "Uh, yeah. I've known Luke for a very long time. I just came to town to visit for a while."

"Cool!"

At the lull of the conversation, Lorelai decided to take her attention to Rory. "Hey, sweets. Are you ready for dinner?"

"Mhmm." Turning to Luke, Rory smiled brightly. "Daddy Luke, can I have a cheeseburger?"

"Sure, Rory. Did you want fries?"

"Can I have mac and cheese?"

Scrunching his face in disgust at her cheesy order, Luke sighed. "I can't interest you in some fruit instead?"

"Nope," Rory smiled, her lower lip poking out just slightly for good measure.

Unable to help smiling at her antics, Luke nodded. "You got it, kid… For you, Lorelai?"

"Just give me my usual burger with fries."

"Gotcha… I'll have it out in a few." He called, and walked back into the kitchen.

As soon as he disappeared behind the wall, Rachel turned to Lorelai with a furrowed brow. "Is he always like that?"

Lorelai, confused by her meaning, questioned back. "Like what?"

"I don't know… Nice to Rory."

"Yeah. I've always heard that he's not the best with kids, but he's great with her."

"Huh." From Lorelai's view, Rachel was seemingly dumbfounded. Seeing new customers taking a seat, she shook her head to clear it. "Well, I guess I better get serving. Enjoy your meal."

* * *

"Are you guys doing okay," Rachel questioned as she walked up and refilled Lorelai's mug.

"Um, yeah… We're fine. Thanks for the refill."

Tapping on her mother's shoulder lightly, Rory spoke hopefully when she looked at her. "Can we have pie?"

"Sure, why not." Looking back to Rachel, Lorelai smiled. "Actually, can we get a slice of boysenberry and a slice of apple"

"Yeah… We're out of cherry, so those are the two we've got." A few seconds later, she came back with their plates, and sat them on the table. "Here you go. One apple, one boysenberry."

Not wanting to be awkward, Lorelai smiled and answered. "Thanks… You know. It's a lot easier to get pie from you than it is Luke. I normally have to hear a health rant and beg really hard to even get a slice half this size."

"Ah yes," Rachel laughed. "The "too much sugar" rant. I'm familiar."

"Exactly," Lorelai genuinely laughed along with her. "That one and the one where he lets me know that apparently every bite I eat takes another hour off of my life."

"I guess that's a new one. I haven't heard him give that one before."

Just then, Luke walked up to the table and eyed their plates. "Seriously," he questioned, looking at Rachel. "Could you have given them a bigger piece of pie? Those things cover the whole plate."

"Oh can it, Señor Grouchy Pants," Lorelai said as she grinned at his grumbling. "You and I both know that you're just a pie hog and want to keep it all for yourself."

"For myself? I wouldn't let that come within two feet of my mouth." Luke replied gruffly.

"I don't know," Lorelai countered with a teasing lilt in her voice. "I think you're this grouchy and territorial about it because you like to eat it all after you close."

"Yeah, Luke," Rachel chimed in with a smile. Her face changed to a smirk as she looked to Lorelai and Rory. "I don't know about waiting until closing, though. I'm pretty sure he had a slice back in the storage room earlier."

Rolling his eyes at them teaming up on him, Luke sighed. "I did _not_ have pie in the storage room."

"Are you sure, babe? Rachel here seems like a pretty reliable source… So was it apple or boysenberry."

Not even bothering to sigh or shake his head, Luke answered plainly. "Neither. Now is there anything else you need, or can I go back to the kitchen?"

"It was cherry, Mommy!" Rory interjected, her finger pointing at Luke. "His lips are red."

"It was not cherry, and my lips are not red."

Continuing undeterred by his comments, Lorelai nodded at Rory. "I bet it was, sweets! That's why there was no cherry!" With a grin, Lorelai turned to him with an accusing finger. "You're a cherry hog!"

"I'm not… I'm not a cherry hog," Luke sputtered, his hands dropping to his sides in defeat. "You know what, I'm going back to the kitchen. Call if you need anything."

Looking up at Rachel with a grin, Lorelai spoke. "That was fun."

"Yeah it was," she answered with a laugh. "You guys sure know how to rile him up."

Running her hand across Rory's back, Lorelai nodded. "It's one of our favorite pass times."

* * *

"Luke, we're leaving!" Lorelai yelled out, not catching the attention from anyone in the room but Rachel, as the regulars were used to her outbursts.

Stepping out of the kitchen, Luke met her at the edge of the counter. "Am I good to come out, or are you going to accuse me of eating all the donuts next."

Noticing his tense stance, Lorelai grinned and ran her hand down his arm. "You're good. Even I know that you couldn't handle pie and donuts in the same day."

"You've got that right," Luke grumbled, though there wasn't a trace of real malice "I'll be over after I close up. It will probably be around nine."

"Okay…"

Turning around, Luke stepped back towards the kitchen, but before he could enter the doorway, he heard Lorelai call, "Um, Luke?"

"Yeah?" He questioned as he turned back around.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Confused, Luke cocked his head to the side. "What?"

Gesturing for him to rejoin her at the counter, Lorelai tilted her face up. "Kiss."

"Oh, yeah." Smiling, Luke brought his lips down to hers quickly.

Not letting him pull too far back, Lorelai whispered, "Just because Rachel is here doesn't mean we have to change." Finally pulling back, she grinned at him. "Bye. We'll see ya later." Turning to Rory still perched on the stool, Lorelai called, "Alright hon, let's get going."

Waving wildly at Luke, Rory hopped down and hugged him. "Bye Daddy Luke!" Following Lorelai towards the door, she stopped near Rachel as she was serving. "Bye, Rachel!"

Surprised by the kid's warmness and politeness to her, Rachel smiled genuinely. "Bye, Rory. It was nice to meet you." Watching her skip out onto the sidewalk as Lorelai held open the door, Rachel looked up and met Lorelai's gaze. "That's one great kid you've got there."

Never tired of hearing that complement, a small smile played on Lorelai's lips. "Thank you. I definitely got one of the good ones."

"Yeah, uh… Have a good night, Lorelai."

"Thanks. You too, Rachel." She smiled, that twinge of jealousy finally subsiding as their night was reaching its end.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry I missed my normal Wednesday update this past week, everyone! It was finals week, so I didn't have much time to write. On the bright side, I am out of school for over a month, so I should be able to get quite a bit of writing done. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think!**


	28. Chapter 28: Halloween

**Chapter 28: Stars Hollow Halloween**

Walking hand in hand on the side walk, Luke and Lorelai watched as Rory skipped ahead of them towards the costume store.

"You're going to be a what?"

"A referee…" Taking in the confused look on Luke's face, Lorelai questioned, "What?"

"Do you even know what a referee does?"

Taking his doubt with a grain of salt, with a careless flip of her hand, Lorelai answered, "Kinda… I know they do stuff with sports rules. I really just picked it so we could be a cute couple. I'll be the referee girl, and you'll be my sexy baseball player."

Rolling his eyes, Luke shook his head and spoke confidently. "I already told you; I don't do costumes."

"But Luke" she whined, "I can't be a referee without my baseball player."

"First off, in baseball, they're called umpires. Second, no matter how much of that whining you do, I'm not dressing up. It's enough that I'm even here shopping with you in the first place."

"And did I mention that I'm very, very, very grateful that you made this trip to Hartford with me?" she smiled, her wide eyes baring into his, trying to make him crack.

"Yes…"

As she looked at him with hopeful eyes, he smirked and continued, "And you can be grateful all you want, but it's not going to make me change my mind."

Nudging him with her shoulder, she frowned. "You're just a stick in the mud. I hope you know that."

"Yep," Luke grinned as he reached his arm around her shoulder, pulling her to him. "And I'm proud to be one."

"Mommy, we're here!" Rory exclaimed happily as they finally reached the door.

"I see that." Stepping inside as Luke opened the door for them, Lorelai laced Rory's hand with hers. "Hey, hon. Have you decided what you want to be for trick or treating?"

"I want to be a fairy. I don't want to be tinker bell… Can I be purple?"

"If they have it, you can be whatever you want…" Looking back at Luke, she smiled. "Daddy Luke, however, cannot. I've already decided that he is going to be a baseball player."

Looking at her sternly, Luke spoke matter-of-factly. "I'm not dressing up as a baseball player."

"What are you going to be, Daddy Luke?" Rory implored, stopping in the middle of the aisle to look back at him.

"I'm not going to be anything, Rory."

Gasping, her jaw dropped. "You have to dress up to get candy!"

"But I don't want candy."

"But you still need to dress up," Lorelai added in, "Right, Rory?"

"Yeah!"

Shaking his head, Luke spoke adamantly. "Nope. Not happening."

"Please Daddy Luke," Rory prodded, her eyes wide and innocent.

Ignoring her mother's puppy eyes was one thing, but ignoring Rory's was another. "Rory, I…" he began, but was interrupted by Lorelai.

"Yeah, please Daddy Luke!" she said, a glimmer of mischief evident in her eyes.

Looking between them, Luke knew there was no way for him to win. "Fine. I'll be a baseball player. I'm only wearing the jersey, though, and I'm not bringing a bat or a glove."

"Yay!" Rory exclaimed, and skipped towards the end of the aisle. "Mommy, here is the purple stuff!"

As they walked to join her, Luke leaned in and whispered gruffly into Lorelai's ear. "You're gonna pay for this."

Slipping her arm around his waist nonchalantly, she pulled him against her side. "Oh, I'm betting on it."

* * *

Walking into Luke's the day before Halloween, Lorelai, once again, saw Rachel manning the counter as Luke was, obviously, back at the grill. Deciding not to wait for Luke's appearance, she headed straight for the stairwell and went up to the apartment. While shuffling through Luke's closet, she heard some sort of yelling match break out downstairs, and though the voices were muffled slightly by the floor, there was no doubt Taylor Doose was making his weekly appearance.

As she came back downstairs and out of the curtain, Lorelai's attention was drawn to the middle of the diner where Luke and Taylor were going at it quite loudly. Seeing Rachel hovering by the kitchen doorway, she approached and asked hesitantly, "Uh, Rachel? What's happening here?"

"Well, Taylor, being the pain in the ass that he is, is trying to force Luke into putting up Halloween decorations." Looking back at the two men fighting, Rachel sighed. "I can't believe that after all these years Taylor still won't leave him alone."

"Of course he won't; that would be too nice of him," Lorelai confirmed as she rolled her eyes. "There's usually some sort of fight every week or so."

"You should have seen William fight him. He was the same way."

From the few pictures she'd seen of his father, Lorelai noticed Luke's resemblance to him. Looking at Rachel with a smile, she questioned, "So he was stubborn, gruff, and angry with Taylor too?"

"Don't forget the short fuse. They both have very little patience for him."

Laughing, Lorelai smiled. "You can say that again…Did he even have the vein that popped out when he got really mad?"

"Oh yeah," Rachel laughed along. "This one time, William almost took Taylor's head off when…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Taylor countered Luke leering. "Your father would do it."

Hearing Taylor's claim, they both mumbled a quiet, "Oh no."

Turning around quickly, Lorelai saw Luke take a step towards Taylor. "You know what!" Seething, he pointed his spatula at him. "You know good and well that dad wouldn't have put up a damn thing. Now you have ten seconds to leave my diner before this spatula leave my hand and heads conveniently in the direction of your head."

"I'll be back," Lorelai spat quickly to Rachel before rushing over and stepping in between the two men. Staring down Taylor, she commanded, "Taylor, go over there!"

"Now, Lorelai…"

"I said go, Taylor!"

Going over to the corner of the room, Taylor mumbled under his breath. Turning to face Luke, Lorelai was met with his stern frown.

"Lorelai, what are you doing? I…" He started, still carrying his angry tone.

Not deterred by it, knowing his malice wasn't directed at her, Lorelai interrupted him calmly. "Luke, why don't you go upstairs?"

Narrowing his eyes at Taylor over her shoulder, Luke countered. "I'll leave when he gets the hell out of here. If he thinks that he's putting one thing up on my windows, he's got another thing coming for him."

"Luke," she tried again speaking evenly, forcing him to look at her, "I'll make sure that he leaves without a single thing being put up anywhere. Just go upstairs before you do something you regret."

Still not willing to give up, Luke growled, "I'm gonna kill him one day."

With a smile at his empty threat, Lorelai placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know babe, but not today. Rory's really looking forward to trick or treating with you, and I don't want you to not be able to go because you're in prison for killing Taylor."

"Fine… I'll go, but he better be gone before I come back down."

"I'll make sure of it."

As soon as Luke disappeared behind the curtain, Taylor trotted over to her. "Lorelai, I don't even understand how you can put up with that man and his temper."

Rolling her eyes, Lorelai frowned. "Oh, don't even start with me."

"I'm just saying he's rather angry all the time, and I don't understand how you can take it."

Crossing her arms defensively in front of her, she prepared herself to battle him. "You know he's only that way with you. Luke is actually really great; you should try not to piss him off so much."

Rolling his eyes, Taylor continued confidently. "Well, all I have for him ar good suggestions. He could at least be open to them."

"Luke is open to a lot of things," Lorelai countered fiercely as she rattled her list off, counting each reason off on her fingers to prove her point. "He helps make the sets for Patty's concerts, though heaven knows he would never set foot in the studio when a concert actually happens. He helps Gypsy at the shop when things are busy and Ricky can't come in for his shifts. He helps Maury put up the Halloween display at his and Babette's house because he doesn't want Babette to hurt herself, _and_ he deals with every strange request that Kirk makes, no matter how difficult."

Chiming in from one of the stool at the counter, Kirk confirmed Lorelai's claim. "She's right. Mother even says that I can be very difficult."

Gesturing over to him, Lorelai exclaimed, "Exactly! Luke will do pretty much anything to help out in this town, so why don't you cut him some slack over the damn decorations. If he doesn't want to do them, then he shouldn't have to."

From various patrons of the diner, the room was filled with a lot of nods, "mhmm's", and one "she's right taylor!"

Rolling his eyes, Taylor finally gave in. "Fine… But for future reference, you might want to work with him on his people skills. It's bad for business."

"Really?" Lorelai countered. "Well, for future reference, you should keep your mouth shut. Maybe next time I won't be here to prevent Luke from letting whatever he wants to throw from leaving his hand… and you better hope that it's not heavier than a spatula."

With Taylor finally leaving, Lorelai walked back to the kitchen doorway. "I swear, sometimes he just doesn't get it."

Looking back at Lorelai peculiarly, Rachel raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "I'm still trying to figure out how you got Luke to go upstairs. I honestly thought that he was going to throw that spatula… Good job, Lorelai."

A small grin appeared on Lorelai's face. "Uh, thanks… speaking of Luke, do you think you can handle everything for a second while I go up there?"

"Yeah… you go deal with that," Rachel gestured to the stairs.

"Thanks."

Reaching the top of the stairs, Lorelai bumped into Luke's solid form.

"Hey…I thought I told you to go to the apartment." Lorelai spoke softly, "What are you doing out here?"

"You only told me to come upstairs. You didn't say go inside. I've been pacing the hall," he admitted with an embarrassed look.

Smiling as her hands came to rest on Luke's chest, Lorelai answered steadily. "I'm sorry he was such an ass."

"That's just Taylor. He does it every year."

"I know, but he doesn't even need to bring up your dad. It's uncalled for."

"Yeah it is," Luke agreed with a nod. Shrugging his shoulders, he continued. "I'll just pay the Rockman boys twenty bucks to t-p his house to get back at him."

"Didn't the Rockman boys t-p his house last year? I'm pretty sure that Taylor called a whole town meeting about it."

A small chuckle escaping his lips, Luke grinned. "I don't know… Did they?"

Shocked, Lorelai's jaw dropped. "Luke Danes! Did you pay them last year too?"

Raising his hands in innocence, Luke spoke evenly. "I plead the fifth."

With light in her eyes, Lorelai smiled. "You know… You're bitter and vengeful, and I have to say, I love it."

"Good." He nodded. "I'm glad to have someone to share the hate with."

Catching the view of the cracked open apartment door, Luke remembered a question he wanted to ask her. "Is there a reason you came up here when you got here?"

Though she tried to hide it, a small look of guilt appeared on Lorelai's face. "You were in the kitchen when I got here. How did you know I came up here?"

"First, the door is cracked, and I know I didn't leave it that way," he informed her. "Second, I saw you when you came back down. You walked right into my line of sight."

"Oh, okay."

Looking at her expectantly, Luke frowned when he realized she wasn't going to give him further explanation. "So you're not going to tell me why you were up here?"

"Well…" Lorelai drug out the word with a mischievous tone.

Luke's eyes immediately narrowed. "What did you do?"

"Well, I know you told me not to, but I may or may not have been checking to see if you had any baseball pants."

"How do you even know what baseball pants look like?"

With a saucy grin, Lorelai answered, "Do you honestly think that I'm watching the game when you have it on? Let me tell you, all of those players asses are nowhere near as fine as yours, so if theirs look that great in those pants, I can't wait to see yours."

Rolling his eyes, Luke groaned. "I don't even know why I asked."

"Now you know… So I hope you know that I'm expecting you to be in those pants, that I moved to the front of your closet, on Halloween."

Shaking his head, he sighed. "I already agreed to the jersey. I am not agreeing to the pants. You wanted me to dress up? The jersey is dressing up, and it works fine with normal jeans."

"But it's only halfway dressing up! You have to go big or go home, mister." She spoke knowingly, poking his chest for emphasis.

"I would rather stay home, but a certain child that is about yea big and has the unusual ability to pout like her mother wants me to come trick or treating with her. I agreed to come, not to go all out."

"Come," Lorelai giggled. "Dirty."

"Lorelai," he sighed.

"Please, Luke! It will be so fun!" She grinned, pulling him to her.

"Nope. And that little hair flip of yours and the point aren't going to work this time. It's not happening."

"What about if I told you that there is a reason I am avoiding cold benches today? Would that help?"

Narrowing his eyes at her in confusion, Luke questioned, "Avoiding cold benches? Why would you…" Sighing, he hung his head on her shoulder. "That's not even fair."

"So is that a yes?"

"No…" he still answered confidently as he pulled his head back and looked at her in the eye.

Looking at his face, she noticed that the confidence in his voice was not the same as the confidence he showed. His resistance wavering, Lorelai leaned in closer. "Okay… How about once Rachel leaves, I recreate this situation, and then you'll be able to take advantage of it… or, of me."

Keeping his hands to himself, Luke informed her, "I hope you know… you're shameless."

"Ah, yes… and underwear-less."

"Fine." Placing his hand on her waist, Luke pulled Lorelai to him and kissed her hard. "But if I hear one "dirty" the whole night about sexual bases, bats, or balls, I'm coming back here and changing."

Raising her hand in mock salute, she grinned. "Yes, sir!"

Brining his lips back to hers, Luke mumbled against them. "You're maddening."

"You're easy," she murmured back. Pulling back with a satisfied sigh, she placed a hand on the back of his neck, lacing her fingers through the curls peeping out from under his hat. "I like kissing you."

Grinning, Luke laughed. "I'm pretty fond of it myself."

Taking a second to contemplate, Lorelai cocked her head and whispered, "Maybe one more." Planting another solid kiss on his lips, they took their fill of each other.

Releasing him with a smile, Lorelai laced her fingers through is. "I actually came here for some lunch, and I have to be back at the inn in about 20 minutes. You think you're calm enough to come back down and fix me a burger?"

Starting their descent down the stairs, Luke retorted. "Well, as long as a it's a turkey burger, sure."

"Is it cold in here?"

Stopping, he turned back to her. "No, why?"

"Just checking to make sure that Hell hasn't frozen over… I'll take a normal burger, burger boy," she informed him, continuing to go down the stairs.

"I should have seen that coming."

As they finally stepped back into the diner, Luke pecked her cheek. "Alright, you can go sit down, and I'll have your food out in a minute." While he walked away, Lorelai felt his fingers graze slowly across her ass, causing her to grin.

Expecting Luke to still be upset, Rachel was shocked to see otherwise. "Who is that, and what have you done with the real Luke?"

Lorelai's eyes trailed Luke's retreating form as she answered nonchalantly. "Oh, that's him. I just made sure that his mind was focused on… something else." Taking her eyes away from him, she looked over the rim of her mug at Rachel wearing a cheeky smile.

* * *

Dressed in his baseball uniform and ready to leave, Luke stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for Lorelai to decide she was ready to go. "Lorelai, it's almost six! We've got to get going!"

"Give me five more minutes, and I'll be done," she yelled from her doorway.

Not satisfied with her answer, he called back, "Are we talking Luke time or Lorelai time?"

"Hmmm, Lorelai time!"

Rolling his eyes, Luke left the stairs and headed to the kitchen. "We'll be lucky if we leave by eight," he grumbled to himself. Opening the fridge to grab a water bottle, Luke heard a loud gasp. Immediately, he turned his attention to Rory's room to see her run out.

"Daddy Luke, I broke my wand," she cried sadly, holding out the broken pieces as tears pooled in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, no tears," he soothed, taking the sparkly butterfly wand and looking at the damage.

"It's broken," Rory whispered softly, her arms dropping limply at her side and her head hanging low.

Examining the break and noticing it was clean, Luke remembered the quick-dry super glue he had brought over a few weeks prior to fix Lorelai's glasses. "It's broken, Rory, but I can fix it."

Walking over, he rummaged through the junk drawer, mumbling under his breath when it was under _another_ pile of junk mail and coupon inserts Lorelai had neglected to throw out. Finally finding what he was looking for, he carefully glued the two pieces of plastic back together and let it dry. Just in case, Luke held the wand out in front of him and gave it a good shake, and much to his relief, it stayed intact.

Taking a look back at Rory, he saw her standing in the same place, her head still hanging low. "Hey, Rory." He called softly.

As she looked up, Luke was met with sad eyes.

"Come here, look." Crouching down, he held the wand out for her to take. "It's all fixed."

Just as he did, Rory gave the wand a few good waves just to make sure it was fixed. Satisfied with the results, a bright smile took over her face. "You fixed it!"

Nodding, Luke grinned. "I told you I would."

Rising to her tip toes, Rory wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. "Thank you, Daddy Luke."

Wiping the remnants of tears from her cheek, he planted a kiss to her forehead. "You're welcome, Rory."

At the kitchen doorway, Lorelai walked in, a smile immediately appearing on her face as she observed the scene in front of her. "Well, it looks like I'm missing the party. What's happening in here?"

Luke looked up to explain, but his mouth grew dry and his eyes about popped out of his head as he took in her less than usual umpire outfit.

As he struggled to find words, Rory spoke up. "I broke my wand, but Daddy Luke fixed it! Look!"

"I see that… Are you ready to go now, then?"

"Yeah! I've gotta go get my candy bag, though." With that, Rory ran off to her room.

With Rory on her way out of the room and into hers, Luke walked over to the doorway, his eyes trailing Lorelai's figure.

Feeling the intensity of his gaze, Lorelai had to tear her eyes from his. "I hope you don't mind that I borrowed one of your hats."

Shaking his head, a wicked smile grew on Luke's face. Speaking in a low voice as his fingers traced the him on her thigh, he whispered, "You know…I've watched enough baseball games to know that most umpires don't wear tight leather skirts."

"Yeah, well, most of the men don't have the legs for it… Lucky for me, I do."

"You mean lucky for me," he growled, pecking her lips teasingly and his hand trailing higher up her thigh.

The familiar butterflies stirring in her stomach, Lorelai backed away from his touch. "Uh, uh, uh," she scolded with a laugh, "A certain six-year-old is about to come back in here, and I'm sure you don't want her to see you feeling me up." Hearing the sound of little footsteps, she looked over his shoulder and whispered, "Speaking of."

Pulling his hands back, Luke jumped back quickly as Rory emerged from her room. If he hadn't been listening close enough, he wouldn't have heard Lorelai's quite promise of "Maybe later."

"Okay! I'm ready!" Running to the front door, Rory called back into the kitchen. "Come on! Let's go! I'm ready for the candy!"

Laughing, the couple met Rory at the door, Luke directing Lorelai by the small of her back. Turning to look up at Luke, Lorelai grinned. "There is no doubt that she is my child."

* * *

"Admit it, you're having fun," Lorelai smiled, nudging Luke's side as they strolled down the sidewalk.

Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Luke pulled her closer. "It's alright. It's not painful." With a flick of his head towards Rory, who was strolling in front of them, he smiled. "Her costume looks great,"

"Thanks… My baby wanted to be a sparkly purple fairy, so I made sure that she was a sparkly purple fairy. Sewing on some glittery fabric and sequins wasn't too hard."

"Yeah, well, you did a good job." Leaning in, Luke's lips teased the shell of her ear. "And you did a great job with yours too."

Looking down at the concrete in front of them, Lorelai could feel the heat of his gaze. "I gathered that from earlier, but thanks…" Bringing her arm around his back, she squeezed his hip. "You look hot."

"Well, you can't have an umpire without a sexy baseball player… At least that's what my girlfriend said."

Smiling up at him, Lorelai answered, "She sounds like she knows what she's talking about. Maybe I'll meet her sometime."

"I don't know about that… I found out this week that she's a pretty jealous woman."

Gasping, she playfully smacked his chest. "Luke!"

Chuckling, he planted a soft kiss to her forehead, despite her resistance. "I'm just joking."

"You better be."

"Trick or treat!" Rory called as they walked up to Patty's porch.

Beaming at the little girl in front of her, Miss Patty cooed. "Well, aren't you just the prettiest thing?"

Twirling, Rory showed off her sparkly skirt and wings. "I'm a fairy."

"I see that." Holding out the bowl of candy, she smiled. "Take as much as you'd like, sweetheart."

Not to be greedy, Rory reached in and grabbed one small handful from the bowl.

"Now come on," Miss Patty looked at her with a knowing grin, "You know you want more than that."

Reaching back in, Rory grabbed a larger handful and tossed the candy into her bag. "Thank you, Miss Patty!"

"You're welcome," Looking up, she spied Luke and Lorelai, eyeing Luke appreciatively. "Mmmm, and Luke, you look absolutely scrumptious."

Instinctively, he took a step closer to Lorelai, which made her giggle.

"Rory, earmuffs," Lorelai called out, and the little girl covered her ears with her hands. Without Patty seeing, she reached her hand over and stuck it in Luke's back pocket, squeezing lightly and making him jump. "I told him he looks hot."

"Lorelai," Luke hissed, moving quickly away from her.

Waving him off, Patty smiled. "Well, my dear, I have to agree. You are one lucky girl. Why you're out here and not in bed, I will never know. His ass looks better than any of those professional players."

Laughing as Luke groaned, Lorelai grinned. "That's what I said!"

Without a word, Luke turned to her and glared.

"What," she questioned at his fiery look, "It's a great ass."

"Can you guys stop talking about me like I'm not here," he huffed.

"Sure, Luke," Patty smirked. "We'll just save if for when you're not around."

"You better not." Reaching out, he patted Rory's shoulder, causing her to drop her hands. "There, Rory's listening now. Keep your comments PG."

"You're no fun," Lorelai spoke as she looked at him lovingly. Turning back to the older woman, she sighed. "Well, we better keep going. We've got a lot more places to visit."

"You go on. Have a nice night, Rory."

"Bye, Miss Patty!" Rory answered, waving her wand happily. Falling into step between her mother and Luke, she questioned curiously, "Where are we going now?"

Smiling down at her daughter, Lorelai spoke. "We are going to Oak Street where Sookie lives."

"Okay!" Looking ahead as they approached a corner, Rory noticed a woman with curly red hair standing at the end of the sidewalk. "Look, Mommy! It's Rachel!"

Both Luke and Lorelai looked ahead and confirmed that it was, in fact, Rachel, and Luke, unconsciously, pulled Lorelai a little closer.

Not sensing the hesitation of her mom and Luke, Rory ran up. "Hi Rachel! Look! I'm a fairy!"

Startled, Rachel looked up from her camera to see Rory and smiled genuinely. "Hi, Rory. You look very pretty. I like your sparkles."

Holding out the sparkly part of her skirt, Rory grinned. "Thanks! My mommy did it."

Finally catching up to Rory, Luke cleared his throat. "Uh, hey, Rachel."

"Hey guys." Looking over at Lorelai, Rachel smiled. "Rory was just showing me the sparkles you put on her dress. It looks great."

"Thank you," Lorelai answered honestly.

"You guys look great too." Nodding over at Luke, she questioned him. "I haven't seen you in a costume since the fifth grade. How'd you get roped into it?"

Luke opened his mouth to answer, but Rory spoke first. "Me and Mommy did it. Mommy said that I should ask Daddy Luke to dress up, and he did."

Shocked, but then again not, Luke's jaw dropped and he looked over at Lorelai with narrowed eyes. "You actually told Rory to get me to dress up? She wasn't just asking about my costume out of the blue?"

Shrugging, Lorelai wore a mischievous grin. "Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to get her man to dress up. If that means using her six-year-old daughter as leverage, then that's what has to be done."

Laughing at Lorelai's impishness and Luke's annoyance, Rachel spoke. "Well, all I know is that you guys look great. Here, let me get a picture." Taking a few steps back, she worked her camera into focus.

Shaking his head adamantly, Luke released Lorelai's waist and stepped away. "No, no, no. I am not taking a picture. Just get one of Lorelai and Rory."

"Oh, come on, Luke! It's our first Halloween together! We have to get a picture," Lorelai begged, reaching for him.

"Lorelai, I don't want to take a picture."

"Please Daddy Luke," Rory chimed in, "I can put the picture in my photo book!"

Before he could respond, Rachel reached out and gave his shoulder a shove. "Between Lorelai, Rory, and me, you're not going to win this battle. Just get in the picture."

"Yeah, Luke," Lorelai agreed, lacing her fingers around his wrist and pulling him over, "Get in the picture."

"Fine," he mumbled under his breath, "Bossy women."

"Alright," Rachel spoke, "Say cheese!"

Smiling brightly, both Gilmore girls yelled out a happy, "Cheese!"

"Aww, that's going to be a great picture," Rachel smiled as she looked back at the three of them. "I'll make sure to get you a copy, Lorelai."

"Thanks."

Shuffling his feet, Luke spoke up. "Well, it that's all, I'm going to run and check on the diner since we're close."

Satisfied in the fact that he had even come along in the first place and seeing how he was trying to escape before more pictures could be taken, Lorelai agreed with a smile. "Okay. We'll wait for you here. My feet need a break from walking anyway."

As he walked off, Lorelai looked over at the bench behind her then back at Rachel. "Well, I'm gonna take a seat and rest if you'd like to join me."

"I think I will."

* * *

Both sitting on the bench, as Rory sat on the ground in front of them sorting through her bag to see what candy she got, Lorelai and Rachel each watched as Luke entered the diner.

"Forgive me if I'm overstepping my bounds, but he looks damn good in that uniform, if I do say so myself," Rachel spoke with a smile, waiting to see Lorelai's reaction

In her mind, Lorelai thought that any comment about Luke coming from Rachel would make her slightly jealous, but over the week, instead of growing more jealous and insecure, Lorelai's confidence in hers and Luke relationship grew. Knowing there was no malice or envy in Rachel's words, Lorelai laughed a small laugh. "You're not overstepping your bounds. Every woman with a pulse can see it."

"You're lucky… He would have never even entertained the thought of dressing up if I had ever asked him."

Shaking her head, Lorelai answered, "He didn't listen to me either. I have to give the credit to Rory."

"I don't know, Lorelai," Rachel eyed her knowingly, "I bet if you really tried hard enough, you could have gotten him to do it without Rory's help."

Thinking back on all the things she had been able to get Luke to join her in doing over the past six months, Lorelai ducked her head blushingly, "You know, I think you're right."

Allowing a surprisingly not awkward silence to fall, Lorelai pondered the events that had happened throughout the day. Remembering a sentence Rachel uttered a few minutes before, she turned to her curiously. "Hey, Rachel… Has it really bee that long since Luke's gone without celebrating Halloween? Since the fifth grade?"

Looking up from her camera back, Rachel nodded. "Uh, yeah. If I remember right… He didn't celebrate it after, you know, with his mom and all. And in high school, when he finally found some sense of normalcy, his dad got sick, and holidays just stopped being a thing with him."

"All holidays?" Lorelai questioned.

"Yeah… pretty much. I mean, you know how he is. If the holiday requires a party, as most do, then he doesn't participate."

"Wow…" Looking at how holidays were the high point of her life before and even after she had Rory, Lorelai wondered how anyone could live without celebrating, and then a depressing thought struck her. "Wait… if he doesn't celebrate holidays, does that mean that he doesn't celebrate his birthday?"

Biting the inside of her cheek, Rachel scanned her memories. "Yeah… He doesn't do that either. I don't know what's happened since I left, but before, I tried to get him to celebrate, but he never would."

"Huh…Well, that's going to change this year if I have anything to say about it." Lorelai spoke, determination filling her voice.

"Good luck," Rachel smiled, "If anyone can do it, you and Rory can."

Seeing the diner door reopen and Luke come out, Lorelai smiled. Her mind was already racing with ways that she could make sure that Luke knew his birth was something worth celebrating. "Thanks Rachel, for letting me know."

"No problem." Standing up, Rachel tossed the strap of her camera bag over her shoulder. "Well, since Luke is coming back, I'm going to go head and see what other stuff I can take pictures of. You guys have a good night." Turning away, Rachel stopped and walked over to Rory and smiled. "See ya later, Rory."

"Bye Rachel!"

Noticing Rachel's retreating form as he arrived, Luke looked at Lorelai peculiarly. "Did she leave because of me?"

"No babe," Reaching out her hand, Lorelai smiled as Luke laced his fingers through hers and pulled her up from the bench. "She's just going to take more pictures." Rubbing her hand across Rory's tiara clad hair, she spoke with extra happiness in her voice. "And now, we are going to finish getting a certain fairy here the largest candy load known to mankind."

"Yay!" Rory exclaimed, shooting up from the ground, ready to get moving again. "It's time to go to Sookie's!"

As Rory skipped back to her spot in front of them, Luke linked his arm through Lorelai's. "So, what did you guys talk about while I was gone?"

"Oh, not much," Lorelai spoke nonchalantly, hoping that Luke wouldn't press further. "We just talked about how amazing it is that we were able to get you into this costume."

"Of course, you did…"

Smiling up at him, she leaned into his shoulder. "Don't worry, babe. We didn't share any other dirty little secrets. It was all good, clean conversation."

"Good." Leaning in, as he did earlier, Luke teased her ear with his lips. "For the record, getting me out of this costume is a hell of a lot easier than it was to get me into it."

A naughty smiled spread across Lorelai's face as she placed a chaste kiss to Luke's lips. "Good… that means that there's a good chance you'll score a home run tonight."

Tightening his grip slightly on her arm, Luke groaned. "What did I say about sexual base jokes?"

"You said no jokes, but as the umpire, I set the rules, so I say yes to jokes… You should hear the one I have about bats."

Rolling his eyes, Luke pulled her playfully in front of him as she laughed. "I'd rather not. Just keep walking…"

* * *

 **A/N: I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter! I wanted to make sure that I updated this week, and it is 11:59 pm, so I have made my deadline! I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!**

 **Just as an FYI to you guys, I think I am liking Saturday as an update day, rather than the middle of the week on Wednesday, so I think Saturday is going to become my new regular.**


	29. Chapter 29: Cooking, Cake, and Caps

**Chapter 29: Cooking, Cake, and Caps  
** Though silence filled nearly every corner of the city, as the clock struck 2:47 am, one room in one house in the corner of Stars Hollow found its occupants to be awake, at least for a little while.

"Luke? Luke, wake up."

His dream interrupted, Luke opened his eyes slowly and was met with bright, blue eyes staring back at him.

"Lorelai," he questioned groggily, "What are you doing?"

With a smile, she scooted closer to him. "It's your birthday."

"And it will be my birthday in a few hours too," he murmured. Taking a glance at the clock on the night stand, he noticed the abnormally early time. "I have to be up about two hours from now. Can we do whatever this is then?"

Shaking her head, Lorelai smiled and ran her fingers through his sleep rumpled hair. "Nope… It's my tradition with the people I love. I'm telling you happy birthday now because at exactly this time, 26 years ago, you came into this world."

Finally rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he stared back at her questioningly. "I know that, but how do you know that?"

"I had Taylor pull your birth records."

"Remind me to kill him later," Luke grumbled, though no malice could be found in his words. Stretching out his body, he shifted so he could see her better, knowing he wasn't going to go back to sleep until she got her fill. With one swift motion, he pulled Lorelai on top of him, his arms coming to rest around her middle. "You know, you could have just asked me."

Looking down at him with a small smile, she shrugged. "Yeah, well, it was hard enough getting the day you were born out of you, nonetheless the time…" Leaning her head down, she captured his lips in a soft kiss. "Happy birthday, Luke."

"Thank you," he whispered softly as she pulled back, pushing her hair from her face.

"What do you think about the past year? Was it a good one?"

Rolling his eyes, Luke snorted a short laugh and squeezed her waist. "What do you think?"

"I think it was a great year for you…" Lorelai answered with a bashful smile. Feeling his intense gaze, she trailed a finger down his chest with her eyes following. "Right?" She questioned him softly.

"It was… And why do you think that was?" He questioned back.

"Because Taylor created five new town events that you couldn't resist going to?"

Rolling his eyes, Luke deadpanned, "Yeah, that's it."

A laugh escaping her lips, Lorelai looked back up at him. "Or was it because Kirk successfully completed his challenge of trying a different menu item every day until he tried everything?"

"I was so close to throwing him out every day…"

"I know, I wanted you to." She grinned. "He took your attention from me all the time because he took so damn long to order."

"Yeah," he sighed, "Sorry about that."

"It's okay." Unable to resist, Lorelai's hands trailed up and down his sides. In response, Luke's hands followed the same course up and down her back.

Breaking the silence that had developed, he cleared his throat softly. "It was you," he breathed into the room.

"Huh?"

"I said it was you," he repeated a little stronger. "And Rory… Meeting you guys. That was the best part of my year."

Though she had an inkling that that would be his answer, Lorelai loved nothing more than hearing the words come out of his mouth. "I love you."

Placing a chaste kiss on her lips, Luke smiled up at her. "I love you too."

"You know, I've got big plans for us today."

The smile that was so quick to appear on his face disappeared and was replaced with a small frown. "You better not have planned a party."

"Nope. No party. We're going to celebrate just me, you, and Rory after you finish with the breakfast rush this morning until later this afternoon, and tonight…" Lorelai paused to wiggle against him with a naughty grin, "It will be just me and you."

"I like the sound of that." Leaning up to her, Luke pulled her in for a warm, lingering kiss. As they parted, he gently drew her head back down to his chest. "But in order to do that, we've got to get some sleep. 4:45 is going to get here sooner rather than later."

"I know," she sighed, snuggling into him.

Just before he could slip into sleep, Luke heard the faint sound of the "Happy Birthday" tune escape Lorelai's lips. With a soft chuckle, he tightened his grip around her. For the first time in a long time, this was going to be a great birthday.

* * *

The bells above the door of the diner chimed loudly around 9:00 am to announce the entrance of the unusually wide-awake Gilmore girls. Lorelai, catching sight of Rachel, breathed a sigh of relief as she noticed that the twinge of unwanted jealousy finally stopped stirring in her stomach. Over the past few weeks, she had come to realize that there was nothing wrong with Rachel. In fact, they had gotten along as well as an ex and a current girlfriend could. And Rory, being Rory, took right to her, inquiring of her travels, her photography, and pretty much any other information that Rachel was willing to offer her.

Before Lorelai could form a greeting, Rory waved at the woman as she stood at the end of the counter, refilling the sugar containers. "Hi Rachel!"

"Hello, Rory. Hi, Lorelai," She answered back cordially.

Taking their seats at a table, they didn't have to wait long for Luke to appear out of the kitchen Immediately perking up, Rory hopped out of her chair and ran over to him. "Happy Birthday, Daddy Luke!" Holding out her arms, she stood ready for a hug,

Dropping the towel he had in his hand to the counter, Luke accepted her hug. "Thank you, Rory."

"Here." Stuck between her fingers was a sky-blue piece of construction paper that had been folded in half. "I made you a card!"

Taking it from her, Luke opened up the card to see what looked like him, Rory, and Lorelai smiling, holding hands. In the back ground was a colorfully drawn house and diner, complete with the hardware sign written out in her neatest scrawl above it. At the bottom, the card read,

 _Happy Birthday, Daddy Luke! You are 26, and I am 6! We both have 6 in our age! We match! You are the best Daddy Luke I could ask for. I love you! -Rory_

Though he would deny it if someone asked, tears pooled in Luke's eyes at the gesture. Looking up from the text, he was met with a smiling Rory and Lorelai wearing an even bigger smile. Giving her a wink, Luke looked back at Rory with a smile to match hers. "Thank you, Princess. I love it."

Leaning in, he whispered something in her ear that made her gasp, "Really?"

With his nod, Rory giggled with excitement and squirmed from his grasp. Running over to Lorelai, she informed her, "Mommy! Daddy Luke said I could put the card on his fridge upstairs! The fridge!" Quickly, she turned and ran over to the curtain, her legs taking her as fast as they could upstairs.

Bringing her eyes back to Luke, Lorelai could see that he was trying to hold in his emotions by the straight set of his lips. "Wow, the fridge… The place of honor."

"It's a great card," he spoke quietly.

"Hey," Lorelai called gently, trying not to draw the attention of any other patrons of the diner.

Finally, Luke locked eyes with her.

"You okay?" she questioned.

With a nod, Luke smiled small. "I'm good."

"It's always the cards," Lorelai said with understanding. "Knowing she drew it just for you hits you right in the heart, doesn't it?"

"Yeah… it does." Clearing his throat, Luke walked over and planted a welcome kiss to her lips. "I'm, uh, gonna go back to the grill… I don't want the bacon to burn."

"Sounds good," she smiled.

As Luke retreated into the kitchen, Rachel made her way over to the table Lorelai sat at, placing a cup of coffee in front of her. "Not that I was trying to eavesdrop on your conversation or anything, but I'm guessing whatever was in that card was good, huh?"

"Yeah…" Lorelai agreed. Taking a quick sip of her liquid energy, she looked back up at Rachel. "I mean, it had to be, but I don't know what's in it. Rory wouldn't let me look at it. She said it was between her and Daddy Luke." She laughed softly at the last part.

"Well, all I know is that either Luke's eyes were sweating, or he was about to cry."

"Oh he was definitely about to cry," Lorelai confirmed with a knowing tone. "He's probably back in the kitchen letting it out as we speak. I definitely don't think he was expecting to cry today…" Tapping her nails on the table, she looked at Rachel with a gracious smile. "By the way, thanks for taking over the diner for the afternoon so we can celebrate."

Casually flipping her hand, Rachel answered, "Oh, no problem. Just make sure you get him to eat some cake. I tried for years, but I get the idea that you can do what I couldn't"

Tracing her finger over the rim of her mug, Lorelai shot her a mischievous grin. "Oh trust me, we will eat cake. It's not a birthday without cake. I'll try to get a picture… if I can."

* * *

As the rush came to a close, Luke came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Give me about 5 minutes to finish up, then I'll change, and we'll head out. Sound good?"

"Sounds great," Lorelai agreed. Turning to Rory, she patted her on the shoulder. "Alright, hon. Why don't you go ahead and go to the restroom so we are ready to leave when Luke is done?"

"Okay!"

As she scurried away, the phone rang, bringing Luke back out of the kitchen. "Luke's." He barked in his usual greeting. With an eye roll, he handed the phone across the counter to Lorelai. "Your friends need to stop calling my diner. I'm going to start hanging up on them."

Blowing a teasing kiss his way, Lorelai smiled and walked up to the counter, taking the phone. "Thanks, babe." Before she brought the phone to her ear, she looked over at Rachel, who was filling up drinks, "And you and I both know that's an empty threat, right Rachel?"

When Rachel's eyes met hers they both grinned and laughed as Luke sighed and walked back into the kitchen.

"Hey, Sook. What's up," Lorelai finally called into the phone. Immediately, a frown took over her once happy face. "Oh, really? Okay… Yeah, no, that's fine."

"No, really Sookie," Lorelai reinforced, a few moments after hearing the chef's apologies. "I'll just find someone else. If not, we'll just spend the evening with Rory and celebrate just us two later… Okay, by Sookie."

After hanging up the phone for her, Rachel leaned back against the counter across from Lorelai. "Everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Lorelai smiled small. "Sookie had to cancel baby-sitting last minute. Eduardo called in sick, so she is covering dinner tonight, and she can't watch Rory."

Pondering for a moment, Rachel shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I mean, if you can't find anyone, I could watch Rory tonight. Caesar was supposed to cover the dinner shift by himself anyway. I was just going to go out and explore and take some pictures."

"Oh," Lorelai spoke, taken aback by the offer. "Uh, well, that's really nice of you to offer, but I don't want you to have to do that. You're already doing us a favor by covering the diner. I don't want to take up your evening too."

"It's not a problem for me, Lorelai… That is, if you're comfortable with it. I would understand if you're not, my being Luke's ex and that you've only known me for a few weeks and all."

"Oh, no. That's not why…" Taking a minute to think it over, Lorelai thought on Rachel. Her being Luke's ex meant nothing, especially since Rory didn't know, and she really did trust the girl. Plus, it was Stars Hollow. If anything, Rory would be watched by Rachel and 12 other people throughout the night because of the nosy and caring personalities of the town's citizens. Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Lorelai questioned cautiously. "Are you sure you want to?"

"Definitely," Rachel nodded. "I may not be as entertaining as Sookie, but I'm sure I can come up with something for me and Rory to do."

"Uh okay… I guess we'll do that then. Thanks." Reaching over the counter, Lorelai grabbed an order pad and a pen and wrote down her house number, the inn number, and just in case, Mia's number. Handing the sheet over to Rachel, she smiled. "Here is the house number for later if you need to reach me. If for some reason I don't answer, I put the number to the inn and to Mia's house on here too. Luke will probably drop Rory off here at 6, and we'll probably pick her up around 9, if that's good with you."

By this point, Rory had returned from the bathroom and perched on the stool next to her mother. Hearing the tail end of the conversation, Rory questioned. "Am I staying with Rachel instead of Sookie tonight, Mommy?"

Nodding her head, Lorelai confirmed, "That you are, hon. What do you think about that?"

Smiling widely, Rory looked at Rachel. "I think it's going to be fun! Can we take pictures?"

"Uh, if you want," Rachel laughed.

Observing Rory's excitement with a grin, Lorelai shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it sounds to me like she's excited, so I guess we have a plan for tonight. Thanks, Rachel."

"No problem, Lorelai."

* * *

As her earrings dropped to the floor, Lorelai yelled out a frustrated, "Dammit!" At 5:45, Luke left the Gilmore household under the instructions of taking Rory to the diner and finding something to do until 6:45. He was not to return home a second earlier. Much to Lorelai's dismay, since he left, everything that could go wrong had been going wrong.

Examining the tear that had just occurred on the hem of her dress after catching on the splintered corner of her dresser, Lorelai frowned. Walking over and opening up the drawer of her nightstand, she retrieved a small sewing kit, hoping she could repair her dress quickly. With a sigh, she sat down on the edge of the bed and went to work. "Can this night get any worse?"

After fixing the hole, she stood up, observing her appearance in the mirror. Satisfied, she went down stairs into the kitchen where she was warming the food Sookie left for her to serve for Luke's birthday.

Reading the directions carefully and looking at the pictures that Sookie attached, Lorelai opened the stove to see if the bread she had put in 5 minutes earlier was ready. Unsatisfied with the color of the bread, she went to close the oven, but following the pattern of the night, she burnt her hand. "Shit!"

With a frown, she ran over to run her hand under cold water in the sink. "I swear, if one more thing goes wrong, I'm going to lose it," she growled into air.

Quickly grabbing a paper towel, she looked over to see where the clock showed 6:43 and rushed over to the stove top to glance at the risotto and gave it a stir. With a quick glance at the other picture Sookie attached, Lorelai noted that the picture and the food in front of her looked almost exactly alike. "Finally, something right," she smiled, feeling accomplished.

Relaxing her shoulders, she grabbed the pot and took it over to the table to scoop it on to the plates. On the way over, however, the heel of her stiletto broke, causing her to slip and the pot to fall out of her hand and onto the floor. "No, no, no!" With an angry groan, Lorelai accepted her fate and just remained on the floor in the midst of the mess.

"Lorelai, I'm here!"

Just as she asked, Luke walked in at 6:45 to see her on the floor. Taking in her outfit, now splotched with risotto, and the pot turned on it's side on the floor, he frowned. "What happened in here?"

Staring up at him with eyes full of tears of defeat, Lorelai shook her head sadly. "Nothing." Lifting her hand out to him, she added a depressed, "Can you help me up, please?"

As he pulled her from the floor, Luke once again took in her ruined outfit. "Lorelai… What happened?"

"I was trying to make tonight special, but nothing is going right," she answered dejectedly. "I was going to dress up for you, and I was going to have an amazing dinner, but apparently the universe has decided that today is the day when I should have some of the worst luck of my life. I tore my dress, burnt my hand, broke the heel of my shoe, and dropped the most important part of the meal."

"Come here…" With a sympathetic smile, he held open his arms for her to step into. "I appreciate the effort." As she leaned against his chest, Luke curled one of her curls around his finger. "You did manage to get ready in under an hour… I'm impressed," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Despite his intentions, he was met with a scowl.

With a soft chuckle, Luke planted a kiss to her forehead. "It's okay… Celebrating my birthday isn't that important to me."

"But it is to me. I wanted the day to be special for you," Lorelai sighed. Doing her best not to get the risotto from her dress onto him, she leaned up awkwardly and planted a short, soft kiss to his lips. "Happy birthday, babe. I tried… I really did."

"I know you did… Why don't you go upstairs and take a bath and get comfortable? We'll get pizza and crash on the couch."

"But, Luke! This is supposed to be a celebration. It's supposed to be something different. We eat pizza and crash on the couch all the time."

With a nod, Luke smiled. "I know, but I don't need a celebration. I'll take a calm night here with you anytime." Pecking her lips softly, Luke patted her hip. "Go upstairs and relax a bit, then we'll go from there."

"Fine," Lorelai frowned. "You better order your nasty vegetable, light cheese, light sauce, thin crust pizza. It's gross, but it's your birthday, so I refuse to eat anything else."

"We can get half veggie, half meat lovers."

Raising her hand at him, she denied his attempt at compromise. "First, no. Secondly, are you seriously going to argue with me when I'm telling you I will _voluntarily_ eat healthy?"

"Okay, I'll order it," Luke laughed softly. "Now go get cleaned up."

As she went upstairs, he followed into the living room, planning to turn on ESPN. When his hand made contact with the remote, Luke stopped and shook his head. With a quick turn, he went back to the kitchen.

* * *

Twenty-five minutes later, Lorelai descended the stairs, a decadent smell filling the air as she made it to the bottom. Turning and going into the kitchen, she found Luke standing over a pot at the stove.

"Well, hello handsome," she smiled, wrapping her hands around him from behind and smoothing her hands across his abs. "I thought we were going to get pizza. What's all this?"

Placing the spoon, he was using on the counter, Luke stopped her roaming hands. He took a step back, forcing her to do the same and turned in her arms. "You tried really hard to make a fancy dinner, so I'm going to make it happen."

Cocking her head at him with disbelieving eyes, Lorelai released a small sigh. "Luke, a romantic evening was supposed to be my treat to you."

Luke could see in her face how much the failed dinner bothered her. Relaxing his arms around her, he pecked a soft kiss to her nose. "And it was the perfect gift… No one has done anything like that for me. I know you worked hard, and even though it went wrong, it means more to me that you even tried. You had a dinner planned, so I am making sure that you get it."

"Luke," she spoke softly. Shaking her head, she frowned. "I hate that you're cooking for us on your birthday."

"It's no big deal." He shrugged casually.

Slipping her hands behind his neck, Lorelai brought his lips to hers in a sweet kiss. "I really am sorry. I love you... and I love you for doing this."

Bringing her back in for a kiss more intense, Luke eventually pulled back and gave a breathless, "I love you too," in response.

Their lips and tongues continued to tease each other as Lorelai's hands began to wander aimlessly. Taking steps back towards the door to the living room, she mumbled. "How much longer until the food is ready." Drawing in a breath, she dropped her lips to his neck.

With her nibbling and drawing on his skin, Luke tried his hardest to form a coherent thought. "Ummm… It's got to simmer for a little bit, so it will take another 30 minutes or so to cook."

"Perfect." Bringing her lips back up to his, she picked up where they left off, angling her head and taking the kiss deeper.

Slowly, Luke slipped his hands under his flannel she had put on, grasping her waist and guiding them to the living room. As Lorelai's knees hit the couch, she fell back with a grin. "You know, I still have an appetizer for us in the fridge that I didn't have the chance to destroy… We could eat that now."

Shaking his head with a laugh, Luke put a knee between her legs and leaned over her. "I think I'm in the mood for something different."

Aware of desire in his eyes, Lorelai smiled, and continued, "I have a present for you too, if you want to open that first."

She knew she was in for it when she saw one corner of his lips perk up in a wicked smile. Dropping himself down, careful not to put all his weight on her, Luke narrowed his eyes at her. "If it's alright with you, I have something else I want to unwrap first." With one hand, he opened the few buttons she had cared to fasten and parted the flannel to see her lacy, black lingerie.

A naughty, knowing smile spread across her lips as she saw his eyes darken. "You like? This is actually part of your gift that I was going to give you later."

Shaking his head, a soft growl escaped his throat and he leaned down to latch on the skin below her ear. Drawing on it softly, he pulled back and breathed into her ear a low and dangerous, "Happy birthday to me."

* * *

Following dinner, they settled in on the couch per Luke's request. A once again flannel-clad Lorelai leaned against the arm with her legs stretched out and a cake plate sitting on her lap. Luke, sitting upright, draped one arm across Lorelai's shin and stroked the smooth skin there as he nursed a beer with his other.

"Mmmmm, this is so good," Lorelai moaned. "How you only ate one slice is a mystery to me." She informed him as she stabbed another bite of cake.

"Well, considering the fact that you are dead-set on feeding me at least one bite of every one of yours, I decided to have one piece for myself so you can't complain, and all of the bites you make me eat will add up to a second piece," he informed her, raising one eyebrow and challenging her to counter him.

As expected, she did. With an eye roll, she answered, "I've only given you the cake part and not the frosting, so you should be happy. That hardly adds up to a second piece."

"Because the cake is so much healthier than the frosting…" Finding his drink to be empty, Luke placed the empty bottle on the coffee table. "I'm still full from dinner, anyway, so I don't need a lot of cake."

"I do have to say, it was a really good dinner," Lorelai added with a smile. "You're a damn good chef, Luke Danes. One night, you've got to make the same meal when Rory's here. She'll love it."

Grinning shyly, he looked over at her as she plopped the last bite of her cake in her mouth. "I've got a plate for Rory in the fridge… the food and the cake."

"You're such a good provider," she grinned back. Gathering some of the excess frosting from the plate, she held it out to him. "Speaking of Rory… That card. I thought you were going to cry in the middle of the diner."

A slight blush filled Luke's cheeks as he looked down. "Yeah, well, it was nice. She drew a family picture and put me and the diner in it…" Looking up, he stared back at her waiting for a response. With an eye roll, he realized what she wanted and ate the icing off the fork with a cringe as he swallowed.

A winning smile filled her face at the small victory. "Really," she questioned, "She never actually showed me the card." Looking down, she drug her fork across her plate contemplating before looking back up at him. "Luke?"

Hearing the softness in her voice, Luke's eyes locked with hers. "Yeah?"

"You know she thinks of you like family… We think of you like family."

"I'm glad," he smiled, squeezing her shin, "And I think the same of you two."

"Good… that's good."

In Luke's mind, he thought they were falling into a comfortable silence, but Lorelai suddenly spoke again.

"You know I've noticed, right?"

Unsure of what she meant, he questioned, "Noticed what?"

"That you have started to think of us as family."

"You have," he answered confidently yet slowly, still wanting to know where she was going with this train of thought.

Seeing his confusion, Lorelai shook her head. "I mean, it's obvious looking at your actions, but it's even there in the little things you say. You've stopped saying 'your girl' and you've been saying 'our girl' instead. You've also stopped saying 'Lorelai' or 'your mommy' as often. You've just been saying 'mommy." You've even started saying 'that's _my_ girl.'" She elaborated with a soft smile.

"Yeah…" Rubbing the back of his neck, he shrugged in slight embarrassment. "I can stop if you want. I didn't really realize it, but not that you say it, I guess I have been"

Shaking her head, Lorelai reached over and grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his. "Don't stop, and don't be embarrassed. It's sweet… I like it." Taking the plate from her lap, she placed it on the coffee table and leaned up to settle on her knees beside him. Turning his face back towards hers, she planted a warm soft kiss on his lips.

Pulling back, Luke rested his forehead on hers. "I like it too." Carefully, he brushed the hair out of the way that fell on her face. "This has been a great birthday."

Settling back slightly, she eyed him warily. "Even though you ended up having to cook it all yourself?"

"This is different than the cooking I do every day, so I don't mind… And we did more today than just have dinner. I had a good time with you and Rory all day."

Satisfied that this birthday was one that he enjoyed, Lorelai smiled brightly. "Good, I'm glad." Catching sight of the present in the corner of the room, she gasped and hopped up to run over and get it. "I can't believe that I was having such a good time with you that I forgot about your present! I never forget about presents!"

Shaking his head, Luke shifted on the couch. "You really didn't have to get me anything."

"For the umpteenth time, yes I did. It's your birthday," she retorted quickly, holding out the bag to him.

Eyeing the bag, he hesitantly took it from her. "Won't Rory be mad that we're doing this without her?"

"Oh no… She has a present for you too. She'll give you hers when we pick her up later."

"Lorelai," he sighed. "It's enough that you got me a present. She didn't have to get me one too. You have better things you could spend your money on."

A stern scowl replaced the bright smile that was on her face. "Luke, stop. It's your birthday. You get presents on your birthday. If you don't open it, I will open it for you."

Stunned by her stern response, Luke looked at her with wide eyes.

Seeing his look, Lorelai softened and took the bag back from him as she plopped herself back beside him. "Luke, believe it or not, after all this time, I have picked up that you don't like getting presents, especially from me because you don't want me to spend my money on you… I love that you care about me enough to think about my financial standing and all that, but it's your birthday. It's the one day of the year that is all about you. Can you please let me spoil you a little bit? I promise that I didn't break the bank with mine or Rory's presents."

"I can… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Luke smiled.

As per usual, the hint of frustration slipped quickly from Lorelai's eyes as she began to bounce in her seat. "It's okay… Now open, open, open. I have been waiting for this all day!"

Parting the bag carefully, Luke grabbed the card and opened it, reading its content carefully. Lorelai's eyes raked his face as he read, looking for any sort of hint of what he thought about what he was reading. Shutting the card, he looked at her with a grin and shook his head in disbelief.

Her eyes crinkled at the corners at his reaction. "It turns out that I like you a lot more than I originally planned… I know I'm hard to put up with, but you do it well."

"Lorelai, I don't have to _'put up'_ with you... I love you."

"I love you too." At that, she leaned over and placed a quick kiss on his lips. "Now, open," she laughed.

After discarding the paper that he pulled from the bag, Luke lifted out a watch with a leather band and a blue and gray plaid flannel that looked oddly similar to the one she was wearing.

Lifting up her arms, she laughed. "I figured that since I've stolen so many, I should at least replace one… but keep going. There's one more thing."

Reaching to the bottom of the bag, Luke pulled out a royal blue baseball hat. After examining it, he looked up at her with a smile. "Thank you. This is great."

Suddenly shy, Lorelai bit her lip and ripped her gaze from his, shifting it to the floor. "Are you sure? I mean, I could have gotten you one that was a different color. I just thought it would look good, you know, since it matches your eyes and all. And, I just thought, you know, God forbid something happens to that one, you might need a spare."

Taking in her sudden nervousness, Luke grinned. "Lorelai, you're rambling… Don't worry. I love it."

Smiling, she reached for the hat. "Here, let me put it on you." Taking it, she placed it on his head forwards and frowned. "Boy, does that look wrong."

"Hence why I don't wear it like that," Luke chuckled.

Grabbing it back, Lorelai flipped the hat around and placed it carefully back on his head. "There!" Her eyes trailing him, her lips formed a slow and sexy smile. "I like it… You look good."

Sitting up straighter, he leaned in closer, his smile confident. "Good how?"

Laughing at his cockiness, she arched an eyebrow at him. "Good as in good." Knocking the empty bag out of his lap, she plopped down on to him, her arms coming to rest around his neck and her lips easily finding his. "Happy Birthday, Luke."

* * *

 **A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to a great 2018!**

 **I'm sorry I didn't update on Saturday, but it's kind of a funny story. I actually had a different chapter 29 update ready to go, but before I could post, I realized that left out a chapter on Luke's birthday. I know, I know. I'm not sure how I forgot about writing this chapter when Luke's birthday was one of the key things Rachel and Lorelai discussed in the last chapter, but, alas, I did. So for the past two days, I have been writing and writing to get this chapter done, and I finally have it at a place I want it. Rachel's departure was supposed to come in this chapter, but because of my forgetfulness, SPOILER! It will come next chapter. I hate that I said that I was going to update on Saturday then never did, so please accept my sincerest apologies. I will try to do better in the future.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!**


	30. Chapter 30: Turkey Day

**CHAPTER 30: Turkey Day**

"Oh my gosh, it's so cold outside! I'm gonna freeze to death," Lorelai groaned as she entered the diner. Her dramatic tendencies were cut off when she caught a glimpse of Luke's employee standing on a stool behind the counter refilling the salt shakers.

Approaching the counter with a wide smile, she spoke politely, "Good afternoon, ma'am. You wouldn't happen to have seen my daughter, would you? Her favorite diner owner was supposed to pick her up after school because I had to work late tonight. She is 6 years old, has bright blue eyes, and has a pout just like her mommy's"

Giggling, Rory sat down the salt container and smiled. "I'm right here, Mommy!"

"No way! My little girl is not old enough to have a big girl job yet! Are you sure?"

Still laughing at her mother's playfulness, Rory nodded wildly.

Dropping her purse on the counter, Lorelai propped her chin up with her hand. "So, tell me, how'd you land the gig? I hear the owner of this establishment can be a bit of a grump."

"Well good afternoon to you too," Luke called sarcastically as he walked through the kitchen doorway.

"Excuse me, sir." She turned to him with mock anger. "How come she is allowed behind the counter, but I am not? She is just as at risk to those falling potatoes as I am!"

"She doesn't try to steal the coffee." He smirked.

"Well, I just don't think it's fair."

Shaking his head, Luke walked over and pecked a chaste kiss on her pouted lips.

Perking up immediately, Lorelai spoke a pleased, "Hey."

"Hey back."

Noting the plaid handled spatula in his hand, she lifted her chin in acknowledgement. "How's that baby working out for ya? Still good?"

Stepping over, he patted Rory on the shoulder. "It's great. Rory did a good job picking it out."

"So, it's safe to day that old faithful has been replaced by the most fabulous spatula ever given to you by the one and only Rory Gilmore?"

"He's been using it all day," Rory informed her with a bright smile.

"Good… But it's not as good as the photo album, right?"

* * *

 ** _The Night of Luke's Birthday_**

 _"Come on! Come on!" Rory yelled, pulling Luke with her up the stairs of the porch. "I want to give you my present!"_

 _Running from the truck to keep up with them, Lorelai laughed at Rory's excitement. "Slow down, hon! The present will still be there when you get inside. You're gonna rip Daddy Luke's arm off."_

 _"But I'm excited!"_

 _As soon as Luke unlocked the door, which he insisted upon locking as they left to go pick Rory up despite Lorelai's claim that it was Stars Hollow and nothing bad would happen, Rory dashed into the house and into her room._

 _Although he had intentions of following her, Lorelai grabbed the hem of Luke's shirt and redirected him to the living room. "You go in there, and I'll get the present with her. She likes to make a grand entrance with her presents."_

 _Chuckling, he walked into the living room as he called over his shoulder, "I wonder where she got that from."_

 _"Oh hush, you!"_

 _Five minutes later, Rory sprinted down the hallway carrying one long, thin box as Lorelai followed with a larger one. "Happy Birthday Daddy Luke!"_

 _"Thank you, Rory."_

 _Much to the girls' dismay, Luke slowly and carefully pulled back the paper on the smaller box, doing his best to hold back a smile as he noticed their agitation at his pace._

 _"Just rip it already," Lorelai groaned as she nudged his elbow, trying to get him to move faster._

 _"I don't know. It looks like this wrapping took a while. I want to take the time to appreciate it." He smiled, watching as Rory began to hop with excitement._

 _"It didn't take long! Hurry, Daddy Luke!" Rory exclaimed, moving closer._

 _"Alright." Tearing off the last bit of paper in one swipe, Luke opened up the box to find a shiny, silver spatula with a plaid handle._

 _Looking up at him with eyes wide and imploring, Rory questioned, "Do you like it? It matches your shirts!"_

 _"I love it, Rory. Thank you." Taking the spatula in hand, he eyed the details, but before he could get a close look, he was interrupted with a loud clap._

 _"Okay! Time for the next one," the little girl exclaimed. "Open this one faster than the last one."_

 _"You got it."_

 _Seeing Lorelai grab what looked like a tissue box from the desk, Luke eyed her curiously. Shaking her head, she flicked her chin to the box, encouraging him to open it._

 _As promised, he quickly tore the paper off the box and opened it up to see what looked like a photo album with similar design and writing as the one he helped Rory make for Lorelai's birthday. "A photo album," He questioned, unsure of what the book would entail. "Where did you get pictures from?"_

 _"Well, Rory said that she wanted to make an album for you like she did me, so we may or may not have asked Rachel to find some for us. She got some from the apartment, and apparently, she knew where some others were too. She gave them to us a week or so ago."_

 _He nodded. Opening the cover, Luke inhaled a sharp breath as he noted the picture of his family posing in front of the lake at their family cabin. Liz, perched on her father's shoulders gave a wide, toothy smile as his father looked over at his mother, seemingly laughing at something she said. His mother grinned happily at the camera as Luke clung to her leg, sharing the same grin. "I haven't seen this picture in years," he whispered, tracing his mother's face with his finger. "This was the year of the fort. We took this right after we got there."_

 _"Who took the picture?" Rory questioned as she eyed the photo curiously. "You, your sister, and your mommy and daddy were all in it. Who took the picture?"_

 _Taking in what looked like his inability to speak, Lorelai jumped in and laughed softly. "Always the inquisitive one… They probably took it with a timer."_

 _"Oh okay." Seeing that he wasn't responding, and instead, just focusing on the picture, Rory frowned. "Do you like it?"_

 _Swallowing the lump that appeared in his throat, Luke turned to her with tightly set lips. "I do…. Thank you, Rory."_

 _Before Rory could press further, Lorelai handed the discarded wrapping paper from the presents to her. "Hey, hon? Can you go throw this away for me? And after that, go put your pajamas on so we can get ready to read before you go to bed."_

 _"Okay!"_

 _As Rory left, Lorelai turned back to see Luke flipping slowly through the album's pages. Taking a seat beside him on the couch, she placed the tissue box snug between them and planted a kiss to his shoulder. "Are you okay with this? I know we snuck the pictures behind your back."_

 _Not looking up from the page he shook his head and answered quietly in the only words that could come to mind. "This is great…Thanks."_

* * *

Remembering the night he got the album, he nodded with a small grin and confirmed, "Right."

Taking in the patrons of the dining room, Lorelai changed the subject, knowing the album was too private of a topic for public conversation. "Are you going to be able to eat with us tonight? It doesn't seem too busy in here."

"I don't kn…"

Before he could even finish his answer, Rory informed them, "Yes! I have a story from school to you!"

"Uh, okay, I guess my mind is made up for me," Luke smiled. "Let me finish the orders I've got and I'll make some stuff for us and bring it out." Dropping another quick kiss to her lips, he turned to walk away.

"Sounds good." She smiled at his retreating back. "And after Rory's story, I thought that we could discuss Thanksgiving."

Stopping in his tracks, he turned back around to face her. "Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah. You know, that holiday that's about a week from know? Rory and I usually go to Sookie's, but I figured with you in the picture this year that our plans might be a little different."

"Oh, yeah." Luke shrugged indifferently. "I normally just cook for the people who don't have anywhere else to go."

Not willing to let him spend the holiday alone, Lorelai pressed on. "Well, then after Rory and I eat with Sookie, since she is serving Thanksgiving lunch, we'll come here to celebrate with you."

"You don't have to do that. It's no big deal."

"No… we don't have to, but we are going to."

Knowing there was no use in fighting her, Luke conceded. Most surprisingly to him, he was actually excited that they were coming, at least, as excited as he, Luke Danes, could get. "Sorry… I'm still getting used to having people around to celebrate with," he smiled sheepishly. "I guess we don't have to discuss it then."

"Huh, I guess we don't." Tapping her chin in fake contemplation, she continued. "I guess we'll just have to find something else to talk about then."

Snorting a laugh, he joked, "Knowing you, I don't think that will be too hard."

With a naughty grin, she looked over at Rory. "You know what, hon? I think we'll talk about Star Trek. Do you know anyone who used to be a Trekkie?"

A giggle escaped from Rory's lips as Luke frowned. "And I'm leaving."

"See you in a few, babe," Lorelai called with a laugh at his retreating form. "That was too easy."

* * *

Luke was up at the crack of dawn on Thanksgiving, just as he was every morning. Not to his surprise, as he woke up, he was faced with the routine he and Lorelai had established in the past weeks. He'd move to get up; she'd hold on tight, doing her best to woo him into staying with her. He'd resist; she'd move closer, her hands slowly roaming his torso. He'd plant a kiss on her forehead then her lips, and tiredly, she'd let go and curl into his pillow, allowing him to move on with the rest of his day. Normally, delays like this would aggravate him, but if he was honest, he loved it. There was nothing he wanted to do more than to stay in bed with a warm, snuggly Lorelai all morning, but like usual, responsibility called. Much to his happiness, the knowledge of being able to spend more of the day than he was used to not only with her, but with Rory as well, made this early morning a little bit easier, and the same small smile he left her bedroom with was the same one he wore when he heard the bells above the door of the diner chime that afternoon.

"Hey, everybody!" Lorelai called out with a smile.

"Oh, hey doll faces! Happy Thanksgiving!" Babette answered back from the table in the back corner of the room.

From the kitchen doorway, Luke walked up, planting a soft kiss on Lorelai's lips. "Hey, Happy Thanksgiving."

"Hey, babe. Happy Thanksgiving."

Holding out her hand that was filled with flowers, Rory grinned widely. "Hi Daddy Luke! Happy Thanksgiving. These are for you!"

"Happy Thanksgiving, Rory." Taking the bouquet, he looked at it curiously. "What do I do with these?"

"Put them in a vase with water," she answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't have a vase."

"You don't have a vase," Lorelai questioned with a frown. "What do you put flowers in?"

"If you haven't noticed, I don't get flowers."

"Well now you do, so buy a vase," she retorted.

"But I don't need a vase because I never get flowers."

"Except for when we bring them to you, which will now happen every year, so you need to buy a vase."

Rolling her eyes from the counter, Gypsy groaned. "I swear, you guys bicker more than any couple I know. Just put the flowers in a water pitcher and call it a day."

"Oh come one, Gypsy," Babette cackled, "Let the kids go at it! They're more entertainin' than anything on TV!"

"Yeah, Luke. Our bickering is entertaining," Lorelai laughed with a wide smile. "Maybe this can be a new tradition."

"Hopefully not," he murmured, rolling his eyes. Pointing to a table over by the window, he continued, "That's our table. You can put your stuff down over there."

"Sounds good. Come on, Rory."

As they placed their jackets on the back of their chairs, the bells above the door chimed. Out from the cold came Rachel as she quickly shucked her jacket and placed it in her arms.

"Hi Rachel!" Rory waved, a book she pulled from Lorelai's purse flopping wildly in her hand.

"Hi Rory. Hi Lorelai."

"Hey Rachel," Lorelai greeted. "I didn't think you would be here today."

"Well, I'm normally in Massachusetts with my parents, but my mom and dad are on a cruise for their anniversary and they left on Tuesday." Shifting her eyes over to Luke at the counter, she continued, "They will have been married for 30 years come next Sunday."

"Tell Rob and Carol I said hello and happy anniversary when you talk to them." Luke replied easily.

"Wow, yeah, congrats to them," Lorelai smiled. "So, since you don't have anywhere to go, did you want to join us?"

"I don't know. I don't want to intrude."

"It's fine," Lorelai insisted confidently. "Thanksgiving should be spent with family and friends, so since your family is gone, you might as well spend it in the Hollow with the rest of us crazies."

"I guess I will…" Rachel conceded. "Thanks."

"You can sit by me!" Rory exclaimed happily. "Daddy Luke can sit by Mommy, and you can sit by me!"

"If that's what you want, then yeah… I'm gonna go put my stuff upstairs, and I'll be right back down."

With Rachel gone upstairs. Lorelai heard Luke clear his throat. Looking up, she saw him flick his head, calling her to him. "Uh, Rory. You sit still. I'll be right back."

When she reached the counter, Luke grasped her wrist and pulled her into the kitchen.

"What's up, Luke?"

Leaning back against the table to face her, Luke spoke. "Inviting Rachel to eat with us… that was really nice of you."

"It's no big deal." She waived him off. "Like I said, she doesn't have anyone else to spend it with, so why not us? She's your friend, and she was a member of the town long before I was. She's just as much a part of Stars Hollow as I am."

"But… I know it's not the most ideal situation ever," he pressed on.

Smiling at his concern, she interrupted. "I'm fine with her… You know that. Yeah, I had my doubts when she first got here, but we're good now, and Rory is excited for her to sit by her, so there is no taking the invitation back now."

Shaking his head, he planted a soft kiss on her lips. "Yeah, but still, thanks." Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her to him. "Come on. Let's get this dinner started before they start a riot."

* * *

"I'm so stuffed I can barely move," Lorelai groaned as she stood up. "Luke, you need to make your food taste bad so that I don't eat as much."

"I'll get right on that," he answered gruffly as he worked on gathering the rest of the empty glasses from the tables.

"I'm with you on that, Lorelai," Patty laughed. "Combined with the wine that I've had, I don't know if I'll be able to move from this spot before tomorrow."

"I guess you'll be spending the night with Rachel, then." Lorelai laughed along with her. Turning to Rachel who was finishing off a piece of pie, she warned her teasingly. "Good luck. I hear Patty throws some wild sleepovers."

"That I do…" Patty purred slyly. "Too bad Luke isn't staying here. I'm sure we would have a good time."

"Patty, there is a child in the room." Luke growled.

"I didn't say anything wrong… did I, Rachel? Lorelai?"

"I didn't hear anything." Lorelai replied, looking over at Luke to see his eyes roll.

"Yeah, well, she was thinking it," he grumbled. Standing up straight, he observed the damage left to clean up. Wiping his hands on his jeans, he turned to look at Lorelai. "Once I finish cleaning everything up, I'll come to the house."

"Sounds good to me," Lorelai agreed.

"Are you about to head out," Luke questioned.

"Yeah. Rory and I like to watch _A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving_ , and it is coming on in about 20 minutes."

"Okay. I'll walk you guys out." Placing his hand on the small of her back, he guided her out the door and planted a soft kiss on her lips as soon as they reached the sidewalk.

As she observed the trio, Rachel suddenly found Patty's presence beside her at the table.

"So, sweetheart, have you changed your mind?" Patty inquired.

Tearing her eyes form the pseudo family, Rachel stuttered, "H-huh?"

"Have you changed your mind about going after Luke?"

"Oh yeah," she confirmed. Turning back to the window, she spoke as she watched Rory trying to jump high enough to reach Luke's hand for a high-five. "Even if I hadn't there's no way I could compete with them. He's so happy."

Downing the rest of her wine, Patty hummed. "That he is. Those girls have completely changed his life."

"I can tell." Shifting her gaze to Lorelai, Rachel saw her smiling as she observed her daughter playing with Luke. "And Lorelai's great. I know me showing up couldn't have been great for her, but she's taken it like a champ."

"She's a sweet girl."

"Honestly, I like her. I think that if the situation were different, we would end up as good friends." Looking down at Patty's empty wine glass, she grabbed the water pitcher and filled it. "Oh, here… It looks like you need a refill."

"Thank you," she chuckled. "It's probably good that you cut me off now."

Looking back to the sidewalk, they saw Lorelai and Rory laughing as a scowl appeared on Luke's face. Out of the silence that grew, Rachel questioned, "Do you think they'll get married?"

"Eventually… Once they finally talk to each other about it. Those two kids can flirt like no one's business, but actually talking about marriage, kids, and other things… well, you know."

Smiling, Rachel confirmed, "Yeah… I know. I guess that's one thing about Luke that will never change. He's the master of the monosyllable."

Nodding, Patty took a quick sip of water and smiled along with her. "And Lorelai's the most talkative person you'll ever meet, but that poor girl's past keeps her from trusting people completely. You can see how she loves him, but if you look at her eyes enough, you can still see some hesitance because she's afraid she'll scare him away."

"Huh…" Rachel whispered as a lightbulb seemingly went off in her head. "Maybe I can give them a push in the right direction."

"You do that… heaven knows I've been trying to for months, but maybe you can knock some sense into them."

* * *

With the diner finally empty, Luke moved around swiftly, cleaning up the rest of the waste and utensils left behind. Noticing the lack of sugar packets on the table, he headed back to the storage room, hoping that he could find enough to last him the rest of the week.

As he perused the boxes, Rachel appeared in the doorway looking at him curiously, the wheels of her mind turning. _"I'm not lying to Patty when I say that I have nothing against Lorelai. I actually think she's really nice, but I can't help but notice how his relationship with her represents everything he used to hate. Maybe I can use that to make him realize how much he loves her, because he needs to make a move before it's too late."_ Suddenly, an ingenious idea, or at least what she thought was one, popped into her head. "If there's one thing Luke Danes can do it's argue…" she whispered.

Looking up to see her in the doorway, Luke questioned, "Uh, Rachel? What's up?"

Deciding to take the risk of making him angry, she stepped into the room and pushed the door to behind her, pretending to look for something on the shelf behind the door. "Luke, can I ask you something?"

"Sure…" he spoke back hesitantly, interested in hearing what she wanted to talk about.

Not turning around to face him, Rachel answered quietly. "Why are you with her?"

Caught off guard and not sure if he heard her right, Luke stepped closer to her. "What?"

Spinning around to face him, she repeated her question a little stronger. "Why are you with Lorelai?"

"What do you mean, why am I with her?"

"I mean exactly how it sounds, Luke." She sighed. "I've seen you with her over the past few weeks, and I just can't believe it."

A look of disbelief spread across his face at what he heard. "Why the hell does it matter to you?"

Hearing the irritation in his voice, Rachel shook her head and softened. "Don't get angry with me. While babysitting Rory, it really hit me just how deep you are in this thing with Lorelai. It's just so weird to see you in such a… I don't know, family role. The only thing I could come up with as a reason for it was that Lorelai is a single mother who has a daughter with an absent father. She needs someone to help support her and you like to be needed, Luke." She explained.

"I'm not with Lorelai because she needs me," Luke countered. Pointing at her to stress his point, he forcefully confirmed, "I'm with her because I love her. I love her and Rory."

Trying to hide her smile, knowing he fell right in to her trap, she shook her head in mock disbelief and cast her hands outwards. "So you just expect me to believe that your whole being has changed in the past three years? When I left, you were anti-PDA, anti-kid, anti-fun, and anti-change. Now I'm back, and all of a sudden, you're putting your arm around and kissing Lorelai in the middle of the sidewalk, you're spending time with a kid and letting her call you 'Daddy Luke', and Rory told me about how you went to picnics, movies, and family dates at Sniffy's! You're not being mean anymore! You, Luke Danes, are not acting like yourself. You have to be doing all of this for Lorelai so that she'll date you and you will feel needed."

By the end of her rant, Luke was fuming over her accusations. "No! You don't get to come in here and tell me about the 'real me' when you haven't been around for years, and you sure as hell don't get to come in here and accuse me of being fake to Lorelai just because I want to feel needed!"

"Then why, Luke? Why are you so different? Why are you all the things I wanted you to be, now?"

"Because I want to be! You didn't see the life I lived after you left the last time. I was miserable. Mom was gone, Dad was gone, Liz was gone, and you were gone! I had nothing but myself and this building! But all of that changed when the Gilmore girls entered my life! All of those things, the fun, the happiness, and the change, they are just things that I am learning to like! I like them because they make me see things in a way that I never thought was possible! And as far as the PDA goes, I don't know what causes it! For some reason, I just can't help myself. She's like a magnet; I can't stay away!"

Hearing the passion in his voice, even she finally realized the depth of his feelings for Lorelai. Rachel, her jaw dropping, came to a realization that she hadn't even thought of. "Oh, my gosh, you love her…"

"I already told you that," he spat, the agitation still dripping from his voice.

"No Luke, you really love her."

"As opposed to?"

"To how you loved me."

At her words, the anger in him immediately drained. His shoulders relaxing, Luke sighed. "Rach, you know I loved you."

Smiling, she nodded her agreement. "I know, but not like you love Lorelai… Luke, you love her like your dad loved your mom."

Knowing the trueness of her words, Luke gave the only response that would fit. "I do."

Sitting down on the stool near her, Rachel shook her head. "I never thought I'd see the day where you finally opened yourself to someone like that. I didn't even think you'd do it with me… but you've found her. You've found your Katherine."

Though it wasn't her intention, Luke was slowly filled with guilt Walking over to her, he spoke quietly. "I'm sorry I couldn't give you what I give her… Yeah, you hurt me, but I never gave myself to you. That had to hurt too."

"It did," Rachel smiled small. "But I got used to it. I knew you weren't doing it on purpose. I just couldn't break down your walls… but don't beat yourself up. You're a good guy, Luke."

Not sure how to respond, Luke let silence fall as his mind pondered all that he had just revealed to Rachel.

Drawing him from his thoughts, Rachel spoke imploringly. "So… are you going to ask her to marry you?"

Dropping his gaze to the floor, he shuffled uncomfortably. "We haven't really talked about that, yet."

"Why?"

Sighing, he shook his head. "There's a lot you don't know about Lorelai. She's had some issues in her past, and now she has issues with big change and commitment."

"That sounds like someone I know," Rachel smiled.

"Tell me about it…" Luke chuckled. "But Lorelai's issues are different than mine. She's so careful about us because she has been screwed over so many times in her past. She doesn't feel like she deserves to be loved half the time, and when she finally gets comfortable with being loved, she doesn't want to change because she is afraid she'll mess something up. Plus, with Rory, she has to be careful."

"I get that. From what I've heard, she's had quite a life for being so young."

Raising his eyebrows, Luke questioned, "From what you've heard? You've been checking up on her?"

Looking down in guilt, Rachel nodded slowly. "Well, when I first got here, I talked to Patty, so yeah… but that's beside the point. You didn't answer my question. Do you think you'll propose?"

"Honestly? Yeah… eventually. Once I think Lorelai is ready, I will."

"I think that's great. I think Lorelai is pretty great… Just don't get cold feet when the time comes."

"I won't… I just hope she'll say yes," he murmured.

"I don't think she'll say anything else."

"You think"

"I do," she nudged him with her shoulder as she smiled. "And she'd be a fool not to… But don't wait too long to ask her, or at least let her know that you want to ask her sometime in the future."

"I won't" Seeing the genuine smile on Rachel's face, Luke prodded. "What are you smiling at?"

"What?" She laughed as she ducked her head. "Oh, no. I'm not smiling."

Quickly, something registered in his mind. Narrowing his eyes at her, Luke frowned. "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

As much as she tried to hide it, her smile grew wider. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"I don't need you meddling in my love life… You know that, right?"

"I know you don't _need_ it," she stressed, "but I thought that I'd give you a push in the right direction."

"Well, I don't need a push," he grumbled.

"I think you do."

Throwing his hands up in surrender, Luke submitted. "Fine. You pushed, and I heard you, so this conversation can end."

"Just as long as you heard me."

Following him back out into the dining room, Rachel watched Luke gathering the rest of the dishes and taking them back to the kitchen. When he reappeared, she cleared her throat, gaining his attention. "By the way, I wanted to let you know that I'll be out of your hair next week. I got a call yesterday morning letting me know that my next assignment starts next Monday, and I'll be in Brazil. I'll fly out to LA on Saturday for briefing."

"Wow… Okay, Brazil."

Seeing that he wasn't going to give her much more, she smiled. "Hey."

"Yeah?" He looked back up at her.

"You go ahead and get out of here. I'll get the rest."

"You don't…"

Shaking her head, Rachel held up a hand to stop him. "I know… I don't, but I'm going to anyway. You go spend the rest of the night with your girl."

As he walked up the porch steps, Luke thought about knocking, but he knew Rory was probably asleep by now, so he thought the better of it. Entering quietly, he shed his jacket and hooked it on the coat rack. Looking in the living room, he saw Lorelai curled up on the couch as some couple was arguing on the screen in some movie that he would undoubtedly be forced to watch in the future. Silently, he shuffled in and lowered himself to the other end of the couch.

"Hey!" Lorelai spoke softly as she perked up, shooting her trademark bright smile at him. "You're back sooner than I thought."

"Shhhhh. No talking," he chastised her teasingly. "It's against the rules."

"Oh hush," she laughed. Immediately after he got himself comfortable, she turned and laid her head in his lap and laced one of her hands through his.

As his fingers of his free hand began trailing through her hair, Luke thought back on the conversation he had just had with Rachel. Lorelai's laugh at heaven knows what character pulled him from his reverie. Looking down at her, he was set on the thought of having a future with her. He'd talk to her eventually, but not today.

* * *

From her spot at the counter, Rory's eyes grew wide as she saw Rachel come out from behind the curtain with her bags. "You're leaving?" She questioned sadly, a wide frown spread across her face.

"Yeah, sorry, Rory. It's time for me to hit the road again and take some pictures."

"Will you send me post cards?"

Luke looked up from his spot at the register, holding his breath as he waited to see Rachel's response.

"Do you want me to send you postcards?"

"Yeah!" Rory exclaimed, nodding wildly. "I can put them on my wall with the one's my dad sends me!"

"Well, then, I'll do my best to send them when I can."

"You promise?"

Smiling at Rory's genuine excitement, Rachel confirmed, "I do… It may be a week or so before you get one, but I'll send one once I'm settled and every once in a while, while I am there."

Hopping off her stool, Rory rounded the counter and wrapped her arms around Rachel's leg. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too, but I'll come back and visit sometime." Catching a glance at the clock on the wall, she looked over at Luke. "Hey, Luke?"

Hearing her promise to send Rory postcards, Luke was much more relieved. Aside from their short-lived engagement, Rachel wasn't one to break promises. "Yeah?"

"I'm gonna run one last errand before I leave… I'll be back in a little while." Tossing her camera bag over her shoulder, she gave Rory one last squeeze and left the diner.

* * *

While filling out forms at the front desk of the inn, Lorelai looked up to see someone she definitely did not expect to see at this time of day. "Oh, Rachel. Hi… Not to be rude, but what are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm headed out in a little while, and I wasn't sure whether you were busy, but I just came here hoping for the best… I wanted to talk to you if you have a minute."

"Oh, well, sure. It's not really busy right now, so you caught me at a good time. Let me get someone to cover the desk. Since Mia is out of town, we'll use her office."

After finding one of the workers to temporarily cover the front, they filed awkwardly into Mia's office, both sitting at opposite ends of the small couch.

Beginning suddenly, Rachel spoke plainly. "So, I'm sorry for just showing up out of the blue like I did."

Shaking her head, Lorelai answered, "You don't have to apologize to me. This was your town first. You can come and go as you please."

"I know, but I disrupted stuff… I'd be lying if I said I didn't come back for Luke."

Though it was exactly what she expected to hear, Lorelai's breath hitched in her throat. Releasing it slowly, she nodded. "Uh, yeah… I assumed."

"I want you to know, though, that I am not pursuing him anymore. He's with you, and I completely respect that."

A slight smile appeared on Lorelai's face. "Thank you."

An awkward silence developed between them for a moment before Rachel cleared her throat and laughed softly before speaking. "That stuff in the kitchen that I walked in on on the first day… He never would have done that with me. It's too 'unsanitary.'"

Laughing at the memory, Lorelai shifted uncomfortably. "That was so embarrassing; I'm sorry you walked in on that… But believe me, he normally wouldn't do that with me either."

"Did you initiate it?"

Slightly caught off guard by the question, Lorelai answered slowly. "No… Not really. I just hugged him, but he was the one to escalate it."

"My point exactly." Biting her lower lip, Rachel contemplated telling her, but deciding it might help push Lorelai in the right direction, she continued. "You know, Lorelai, the only time I've ever seen him this happy and carefree was before his father passed, and even then, his happiness was restrained. It's been a long time."

"Really?"

"Really," she confirmed. "You and Rory are so good for him. I never thought that I'd see Luke Danes taking care of a kid."

"I know," Lorelai laughed genuinely. "Who would have thought that Mr. Kids-Have-Jam-Hands could be reined in by a tiny, genius six-year-old."

"I always knew he'd be good with kids if he gave it a shot."

Tucking a curl behind her ear, Lorelai grinned. "Thank you, Rachel."

"For what?"

"For telling me all of this… I don't know. It's not like I don't believe Luke when he tells me that he's happy, but it's nice to hear it from someone else who really knows him."

"No problem… And I really am sorry for popping in like this. Even after all these years, it never occurred to me that he would have found someone else. I'm glad he did, though. You're ten thousand times better for him than I ever was"

"No, Rachel, I'm sure…"

Shaking her head adamantly, Rachel cut her off. "You don't have to defend me… I screwed up with him, and I'm pretty sure that what I did to him has caused problems for you."

Ducking her head, Lorelai tried not to let Rachel see that she was right.

Unsurprisingly, she did notice. "See… I figured I did. Just a word of advice, Lorelai, don't let him go. He's the most loyal person you'll ever meet, and he's given his love to you, so he'll never even look at someone else. Just don't push him away like I did."

"I won't."

Sitting up straighter, Rachel looked steadily at Lorelai as she spoke. "Do you mind if I ask you one more question?"

"Uh, sure. Go ahead."

"Do you want to marry him?"

Her breath catching in her throat, Lorelai quickly averted her eyes from Rachels.

Seeing her reaction, Rachel frowned. "Sorry if it's too personal, but I was just wondering."

Thinking back on the conversation she had with her mother on Rory's birthday, Lorelai realized with was time for her to put what she was thinking out into the open. "Well," she started hesitantly, "We haven't really talked about it."

"Okay, that's not a surprise, but that wasn't my question," Rachel ended with a grin, realizing that Lorelai had the same tactic Luke had when avoiding her question a few nights before.

"I know." Running her fingers through her hair, Lorelai sighed. "To be honest, I want to, but I don't know when it's going to happen. I don't want to do things too fast."

"I'm not suggesting you marry him tomorrow or anything, but just think about it… and my advice is that when you decide, don't wait too long to tell him. You guys are great together."

"Thanks… I think so too."

As if in mutual agreement, they both stood up. "Well," Rachel started, shoving her hands in her coat pockets, "I guess I'm gonna head out. I'm gonna stop by the diner to get my bags and say goodbye to Luke and Rory, but after that I'll be on my way." Remembering the envelope inside her bag, she pulled it off of her shoulder and grabbed it. "Oh, by the way, these are for you. They're pictures I took different nights while I was here, and I put the one from Halloween in there too. I thought you might like some copies."

Smiling, Lorelai took the envelop form her hand. "Thanks. Have a safe flight."

Slipping the bag back on her shoulder, Rachel turned to head towards the door.

"Hey, Rachel?"

Turning back, she questioned, "Yeah?"

"If you're ever back in the area, come by and visit. I'm sure Rory would love to hear more of your stories... And I know it's not mine to say, but I'm pretty sure that Luke would agree that the apartment is always open."

"Maybe I will," she smiled genuinely. "See you sometime, Lorelai."

"See you sometime."

As Rachel walked out, Lorelai reflected on their conversation about Luke. Looking at the months they've spent together, at all the moments he spent with her and with Rory, she is pretty sure she wants a future with him. Maybe they won't talk tonight… No, probably not, but they will eventually.


	31. Chapter 31: Syrup Snow Something New

**A/N: Hello everyone! I've gotten to the point that I don't want to put author's notes before my chapters, but with this chapter, I think it is justified. For a while now, many of you have been asking for a scene like this, and I am happy to report that it is finally time! For what, you ask? Well just read it and find out! It took me a long time to edit this chapter, but I got it just like I want it! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 31: Syrup Struggle + Snow Surprise = Something New**

"Luke, please!"

"Why the hell are you getting mad about this? Why does it matter what shelf the syrup is on, Lorelai?" Luke questioned, throwing his arms out in frustration.

"It just does!" Taking a deep breath, Lorelai caught sight of Rory running around the living room and knew it was not the best time for them to fight it out. "Look, just put it back on the top shelf, please. We can't get into this now."

Confusion crinkled his eyes as he looked at her imploringly. "Can't get into what? This doesn't even make any sense!"

"Luke…" she pled, "Please. We'll talk about it later."

"Fine." Opening the fridge, he moved the syrup bottle from the bottom shelf to the top. "There. It's on the top shelf and your breakfast is ready, so I'm headed out. I'll come over tonight when I get off." Shaking his head, he slammed the door shut.

Waking with a start, Lorelai shot up in bed. Turning to her right, she saw Luke on his side facing away from her. It was hard to believe that the fight had only happened this morning. Luke had to close the diner because Caesar couldn't make it in, and much to his dismay, when he arrived back at the Gilmore home, Lorelai was already snug in bed asleep, or so he thought. Doing her best to keep her breathing even, she had listened to the sounds of him moving around the room getting ready for bed. She didn't move a muscle when he planted a kiss to her head before falling asleep himself. She wanted to say something, but didn't know what. Her mind had been spinning all day, just as it was now.

" _That fight… that stupid fight…" she thought._ Ever since Rachel left, she couldn't stop thinking about her future with Luke. _"I know I love him, and I know he loves me, but are we ready to go further? Fighting over the syrup was petty, but I was just confused over whether I'm ready to share with him… share not just myself and Rory but the mundane, everyday stuff, like sharing a fridge, too. I'm not crazy…"_

"I'm not crazy, right?" She whispered softly into the air. Tired of being tired, she breathed in deeply, trying to fall back asleep… but something stopped her. Taking another deep breath, she smiled. "I smell snow." Turning over to face Luke, she began nudging him softly. "Hey. Wake up."

Stirring from his sleep, he mumbled a barely recognizable, "Huh?"

"Wake up."

"No," Luke groaned as he nuzzled back into his pillow.

Pulling the covers, she lowered them slightly off of him. "Come on, you're missing it."

"Is 'it' sleep? Because you'd be right?" he responded, not budging from his spot.

Hooking her hand in his arm, Lorelai pulled him back onto her with a smile. "Smell the air, smell it."

"It smells cold."

In one motion, she ripped the covers from the rest of him and pulled harder. "Come on."

"What, no! It's freezing," Luke complained as she pulled him to the edge of the bed.

"Come on!"

His feet finally hitting the floor, Luke grunted. "The floor's cold."

"Geez! You're obsessed with the cold."

"Because it's cold!"

"I know."

As she pulled him out the door of her bedroom, he growled with disapproval. With a teasing lilt in her voice, she mimicked him, pulling him downstairs to go outside in what she knew would soon be a snow-covered yard.

The flakes she predicted were no where to be seen, so Luke grumbled as they walked down the stairs of the porch. "I'm turning numb."

"Keep moving."

"Are my feet still attached to my body or did they snap off coming down the stairs?"

Looking back, she caught sight of his feet and answered a plain, "They're still there."

"Why are we out here?"

Dragging him along to the middle of the yard, she stopped and smiled. "Take a deep breath."

"What?"

"Do it."

"Okay."

Taking a deep breath, Lorelai whispered loudly, "Oh, yeah. I smell snow."

Unsure whether this was just some sort of sleep induced hallucination or not, Luke questioned with a disbelieving, "What?"

"It's coming. I always know. I can smell it, and I'm never wrong."

"It wasn't in the forecast."

With a happy sigh, a dreamy look took over her face. "It's just my favorite time of the year. The whole world changes color."

Tensing as the slightly cold breeze hit his face, Luke frowned, "I think I'm blacking out."

Unfazed by his disbelief, Lorelai continued. "Flakes, flurries, swirls, crystals, whatever form it comes in. I'll take it. We go back, snow and me. We have a beautiful history."

"Saw two forecasts, there was no mention of snow. Cold, but no snow." Shoving his hands deeper in his pockets, Luke looked over at her warily, and saw her bright smile as she welcomed the snow.

"Sleigh rides, ice skating, snowball fights. I'll even take curling. God, I love curling!" she exclaimed.

Still trying to be the voice of reason, he informed her grumbling, "Lance Cranston on Channel 6 said it would be dry. Kimmy Liston, Live at 5, same thing. No snow, nothing."

"Hot cocoa, hot toddies. Snow walks with Rory! Best time of the year!"

"Jimmy Mountain in Accu-Chopper One said it would be weeks before…" Before he could finish, Luke stopped and looked up as the snow began to fall. Feeling himself being tugged, he moved closer to her as he groused, "Lance and Kimmy are idiots."

Though it didn't seem possible, Lorelai's smile grew wider as she looked up at the sky with him. "Welcome, friend."

As the flakes fell around them in the middle of the yard, Lorelai shifted her eyes from the skies to Luke, who was clearly freezing, yet was still out there just to make her happy. His hair was sleep rumpled; his jacket, dusted with flakes, was only partially zipped over his long-sleeved pajama top because of the hasty pace she forced him to put it on. His face was tensed, trying to bare the cold flakes that were quickly falling. But he was still out there. Her grumbly, grumpy, half asleep diner man was still out in the snow with her.

The smile that was seemingly stuck on her face faltered. She suddenly realized that they wouldn't be able to do this again unless he happened to be spending the night… and she didn't like that. She didn't like that he wouldn't be there to walk in 3 am snow. She didn't like that he wouldn't be there to tell her she was crazy and still follow along anyway. She didn't like that he wouldn't be there for anything… everything. Suddenly, syrup being on the bottom shelf seemed like a good idea, because she wanted him there, changes and all. "Hey baby?"

Taking immediate notice of their barely used pet name, Luke looked over at her. "Yeah?"

Running her hand up and down his side, she bit her lower lip and spoke hesitantly. "Can we talk… when we get back inside?"

"Uh, sure…" Quickly, his mind began to turn. If he remembered right, it wasn't like Lorelai to want to be awake at this hour any longer than necessary. _"Something's got to be up."_

"Let's walk first," she whispered, interrupting his wild thoughts and tightening her grip around him.

Slowly, they walked around the yard, front and back, taking in the winter wonderland that was swiftly forming. Before long, Luke found himself seated on the couch on the porch, Lorelai curled into his side.

"You better not be falling asleep on me," he groused, a teasing lilt in his voice. "It's too damn cold to be sitting out here all night."

"You and the cold," she murmured into his shoulder. Pulling back, she looked up at him with a small smile and planted a soft, lingering kiss on his lips, sending a chill through him that wasn't because of the cold that surrounded them. "I can keep you warm if you want."

"You seriously aren't trying to seduce me in 15-degree weather…"

Shaking her head, she laughed softly. "No, no seducing. Only kissing," she whispered as she brought her lips back to his.

After a few minutes, Lorelai pulled her lips from his and shivered, nuzzling into his neck.

Chuckling as she tried to move closer, her hands now burrowed under his coat and around his back, Luke shook his head. "Come on… let's go back in. I told you it was too cold."

Tightening her grip on him, she answered, "Not yet. Just another minute."

* * *

One more minute turned into ten where they just sat in silence, cuddled close, Luke's hand tracing patterns up and down her back and Lorelai's mind whirling, preparing for the talk she was about to initiate.

Planting a kiss to his neck she confirmed, "Okay, I'm ready."

Slowly but surely, they stood up and strolled into the house, shedding their jackets at the rack.

"I still feel bad for not waking her up," Lorelai confessed, casting her eyes towards Rory's room as they approached the stairs.

"The snow will be there tomorrow," Luke reassured her, holding out his hand. "You guys can go and walk in it then… come on."

Taking his hand, she pulled him behind her upstairs to her bed, bringing him down with her as she sat on it. Sitting at the end, Lorelai crossed her legs Indian style as Luke leaned back against the headboard.

From his point of view, Luke could tell that what she was wanting to discuss was riding heavily on her mind. "Hey…"

Looking up, she met his gaze. "What?"

"C'mere," he called with a flick of his head.

Grinning, she crawled over to him. "I can never say no when you do that." Making herself comfortable, she leaned back on his shoulder and sighed softly. "So…"

"So…" he answered, clearing his throat awkwardly as his fingers curled around her side.

Not looking up at him, she started, "I'm sure you've noticed that I've been a little weird the past few days… well, weirder than usual."

"I have." He agreed, waiting for her to divulge more.

"I figured…" Picking at the lint on his shirt for a minute, she looked up at him, her guilt evident in her eyes. "I'm sorry… I mean, I'm sorry for picking that fight this morning."

"It's alright. I just didn't realize that the syrup in the fridge meant so much to you."

"That's the thing," she sighed, "It doesn't… I just got spooked."

Luke's hand that was trailing up and down her side froze. "I understand."

Cocking her head to the side, she frowned. "You do?"

"I realized after I left that I did the same thing with Rachel once over the milk."

"So you understand why I did it?"

"Maybe…" Bringing his eyes to hers hesitantly, Luke licked his suddenly dry lips. "I freaked out because things were changing and I didn't want them to… Do you not want something to change?"

Seeing the fear in his eyes, Lorelai spoke to reassure him quickly. "That's not it… well, it kind of is, but it's not at the same time… That's why I wanted to talk."

Releasing the breath he didn't realize he was holding, Luke questioned, "Okay… so why are you…spooked, as you put it?"

"Us."

Frowning, he shook his head. "Lorelai, I'm going to need more than that."

"Us, Luke," she insisted. "I've been thinking about questions like "What do we do next?" "Do we need to change things?" "Where are we headed?" "What is our goal?" You know… all that stuff. We've done all the fun dating stuff, but we really haven't talked about the important things, and it's all the important things that have been on my mind lately."

Unable to decide whether to be relieved that it wasn't something worse or worried about where the conversation was going, he prodded further, "What brought this on?"

"A lot of things," she shook her head. "I've been thinking about it since Rory's party when I talked to my mother, but talking to Rachel before she left kind of acted like the last straw." Deciding quickly that it was now or never, Lorelai took a deep breath and spoke quietly. "Luke, where do you see this going?"

"What do you mean?"

Gaining a bit more confidence, she spoke a little louder. "I mean, what do you see for the future?"

"What do _I_ see?" He clarified.

"Yes… I want to know, what do you see in our future? Do you see us getting engaged? Married? Having a family?"

"Um, yeah…" Running his fingers through his still damp hair, Luke sighed. In all honesty, he wasn't expecting to have this conversation so out of the blue. Looking her dead in the eye, he confirmed, "I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about any of that. Have you?"

"I have… Luke, the 22-year-old in me is saying, 'Lorelai, why are you in this relationship? This is serious, and you're only 22. Are you really ready to settle for one person this early on?' And then I began to think…"

His jaw working as she spoke, Luke suddenly cut her off. "Please tell me that you didn't wake me up in the middle of the night to end this."

"Luke, no. I…"

Not hearing her words, he jumped up and began pacing. "Lorelai, I thought we were doing great! I mean, aside from this morning and a few other times, we've been fine." As spoke and got more worked up, his passion peeked though, but his voice remained low in acknowledgement to Rory being downstairs. "You said you were all in; we took the jump! I love you, and I love Rory. You can't expect me to just change all of this and go back to the way it was before just because you think you're too young for this! I'm only 26, but I'm all in."

Hearing how serious he was warmed her heart, but she couldn't help but wear an amused look on her face. "Are you done?"

Finally noticing her relaxed appearance, Luke sat down, a slightly embarrassed look emerging on his face. "Yes."

Shifting slowly, Lorelai moved into his lap, wrapping her arms loosely around his shoulders. "Luke, you didn't let me finish." She smiled. "The 22-year-old in me says this is too soon, but when I got to thinking, I realized that I am not a normal 22-year-old. Nothing about my life has been normal. I got pregnant at 15, had a kid at 16, and moved out and held a full-time job by 17. Right now, I am completely in love with you, Luke, and I don't ever see that changing. I'm not suggesting that we get married tomorrow or anything, because even though I'm not normal, I'm not crazy." She laughed lightly. "But, I need to tell you that I am 100% in this for the long run with you." Taking a deep, shaky breath, Lorelai's voice grew softer. "With you, and Rory, and whoever else may come along… if that's okay with you. And if you happened to want to ask a certain question in the future, that I am _definitely_ expecting you to ask, I would say yes."

His eyes growing wider as she spoke, Luke sat still, absorbing her words. This was not what he expected to hear. Marriage and kids was something they hadn't discussed. Knowing how scary it was for her to admit, and actually hearing her say that she wanted to marry him in the future, shot happiness through is body. "Really?"

Nodding with a wide smile, she agreed. "Really."

"Well, now I feel like an ass."

"Well, at least you're a cute ass… and you have one too." Running her hands down his back, she squeezed him for emphasis.

"I'm not cute," he frowned, "Men aren't cute."

"My man is."

Not breaking, he looked at her sternly.

Lorelai met his look with one of her own. They sat that way for about a minute until her lips twitched slowly into a smile.

Unable to help himself, Luke chuckled. "You know, you need to work on your scowl. Make it more convincing."

Shoving his shoulder playfully, she laughed along with him. "Hey! Not everyone can be as grumpy as you."

"Well, at least you tried." He grinned. Clearing his throat, he continued, "So, uh, for the record, this is it for me too. Me, you, and Rory… and whoever else may come along."

"Yeah, this is it." Lorelai agreed, leaning in for a lingering kiss. "So, I also wanted to talk about one more thing."

"I'll do my best not to freak out on you this time," Luke teased.

"It's okay. It's fun to watch when you're flustered… So, we've established our love and all that good stuff, and I know I said no marriage right away, but I think there is one thing that we should do soon."

"And that is?"

Taking his hands in hers, she smiled. "Luke, I want you to move in."

Not expecting that, Luke's breath caught in his throat. "Lorelai, I… I don't know." He stuttered.

"I figured you would be hesitant, but look at it this way…You lived with us for about a month when Rachel was here, so you moving in permanently wouldn't be that much of a stretch," she explained, hoping that he would understand.

"But that was different. I didn't have anywhere else to stay."

"Oh please," Lorelai smiled, waving her hand carelessly. "You spent the night all the time even before Rachel was here, and even the nights you didn't you usually came and made dinner or watched a movie with us."

"But those weren't permanent. This is a big deal."

"I know…" Taking a second to gather her thoughts, Lorelai looked back at him, love evident in her eyes. "Luke, I'm ready. I'm ready to share this bed with you, share the bathroom with you, share the kitchen with you... share anything. I'll share every part of this place with you. If that means letting you put the syrup wherever the hell you please, then I'm ready."

Smiling, Luke placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "I love you… and I'm ready for that too, but I have one more concern… What about Rory?"

"Like always, I love that you're thinking about her. That means the world to me… But Rory will be fine. She loves having you here, and I'm sure she wouldn't be opposed to having you read to her every night instead of on occasion."

"So, you're sure you want to do this…"

"I am. In fact..." Wiggling off of his lap, Lorelai walked over to her vanity to dig through her drawer. Finally finding what she wanted, she walked back and knelt on one knee in front of Luke. With a wide grin, she spoke eagerly, "Lucas William Danes, will you move in with me?"

Chuckling, Luke smiled one of those smiles. The one wide, toothy smile that he really only showed her. "Are you serious?"

"I am never nothing but serious."

"I've already got a key to the house."

Shoving his knee, she laughed. "Stop being logical! You're killing the moment!"

"Fine…" Taking the key from her, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Yes, Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, I'll move in with you."

"I love you burger boy."

Shaking his head at her and still laughing slightly, he answered, "I love you too, crazy lady."

Standing up, Lorelai brought her body back beside his on the bed and her lips back to his. As per usual, they fell quickly into the kiss. Slowly, one of his hands found rest on her cheek, tilting her head back and drawing her deeper.

"Are you trying to seduce me," she questioned, recalling his words from earlier as his lips trailed across her jaw and down her neck.

"It's not cold anymore," Luke murmured, nibbling at her quickly heating skin.

Before her mind became too cloudy to think, she whispered, "Rory's downstairs."

"She'll be downstairs when I move in too."

Tugging lightly at his hair, Lorelai got him to look up at her with eyes darkened with desire. Raising her eyebrows, she questioned, "You're serious?"

"I'm serious if you are," he spoke lowly inching towards her.

"You have no idea." With a light push on his chest, Luke fell back and moved to the center of the bed. Crawling up, Lorelai hovered over him, her lips teasing his. "I told you good things happen when it snows."

* * *

"Hey, hon. Sleep well," Lorelai questioned as Rory walked out of her room later that morning.

"Mhmmm," she replied softly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Shuffling over, she climbed into her mother's lap, leaning her head on her shoulder.

Running her fingers up and down her back, Lorelai pulled Rory closer. "Still half asleep, huh?"

"Yeah," Rory whispered.

"That's too bad… Someone left a surprise for you outside, but you may be too tired to see it."

Immediately perking up, Rory looked at Lorelai. "Surprise?"

"Yeah, go look out the window."

Hopping off of her lap, Rory dashed to her room, a happy squeal escaping her lips as she ran back into the kitchen. "Snow, Mommy! It's snow!"

"I know! I saw!" Lorelai exclaimed, as Rory's enthusiasm caused her heart to leap. "I was thinking that we can get all bundled up, walk around and play in the square, and then go to Luke's for breakfast and hot chocolate. What do you think?"

"Let's do it," Rory agreed excitedly, running back into her room to get dressed.

Twenty minutes later and three layers of clothing heavier, Lorelai and Rory were out the door. Holding hands, they strolled slowly down the road, admiring the snow-covered town.

"Hey, Rory?"

"Yeah," Rory answered, looking up at her mother expectantly, not deterred by her slightly hesitant tone.

"I've got something I want to ask you."

"Okay!"

"So, Luke and I have been boyfriend and girlfriend for a long time now, and I like him a lot."

"Me too." Rory smiled in agreement.

"Good, that's good… So, you know that he's been spending the night a lot, but we were thinking about changing that. How would you feel if he moved in with me and you?"

Gasping, Rory looked up at Lorelai with a wide-open mouth. "Daddy Luke is moving in?"

Smiling at her reaction, Lorelai responded, "If that's okay with you."

"Can he sleep in my room? It will be like a sleep over!" Rory prodded innocently.

Laughing, Lorelai shook her head. "Actually, sweets, he'll be bunking it out with me, but I bet if you try, you can probably convince him to build a fort in the living room for us all to sleep in every once in a while."

"I want to build a fort! Do you think he will make breakfast for us every day, too?"

"When he can, I bet he will." Happy with Rory's thrilled reaction, Lorelai couldn't wait to reach the diner to tell Luke the good news.

As she saw the square approaching, the extent of the snow that fell came into view. "Look at all the snow around the gazebo, Rory. I bet we could make a great snowman."

Looking up at her with bright eyes, Rory bounced eagerly on the balls of her feet. "Can we?"

Taking in her daughter's clothes, Lorelai knew they would be good for another fifteen minutes or so in the snow. "Sure, why not."

Releasing Lorelai's hand, Rory ran over towards the gazebo. "Come on, Mommy! I know the perfect spot!"

* * *

Shedding their coats as they came in, Lorelai and Rory were faced with a diner that was much more packed than usual. "I guess everyone else came here to warm up too," Lorelai spoke, her eyes scanning the room for an open spot.

"There's a table," Rory answered, pointing to a table on the other side of the room. Her coat slightly dragging the ground, she ran over to claim the seats.

When she finally caught up to Rory and sat down, Lorelai looked over to the counter, catching sight of the special board. "Luke's special omelet… That is brand new."

"What about French toast," Rory questioned.

"I don't know, hon. I guess Daddy Luke is deciding to change a lot. We'll just have to let the French toast go."

"What can I get ya," Luke interrupted normally as he approached the table.

Arching a brow at him, Lorelai countered, "You have a new special…"

"Yes, I do."

"Nice," Lorelai agreed, a slightly naughty grin appearing on her face. "What is the special omelet?"

Before she could even think about ordering it, he cut her off. "You won't like it."

"Okay, first," Lorelai counted on her fingers, "How do you know? Second, why would you even make something that I don't like? Isn't that against some kind of couple rule?"

Rolling his eyes, Luke shook his head. "Because I know you, so I know you won't like it… And just because I make it doesn't mean you have to like it. I have other customers too."

"Alright, Mr. I-Know-Everything, can I at least hear what it is?"

Already knowing that she would pester him further if he didn't tell her, Luke conceded. "Fine. It's three eggs with bits of bacon."

"I like bacon."

"Cubed tomatoes."

"Sounds good."

"Swiss cheese and a dash of oregano."

Grinning, she looked over at Rory. "A dash he says."

With an eye roll, he looked at her seriously. "I've got other customers here."

Not even pretending to ponder the idea like she normally would, Lorelai nodded. "I'm gonna go with the special omelet."

"Okay…"

"With a side of bacon."

Looking back up from his order pad, Luke frowned. "There's bacon in the omelet."

"Oh, then skip the bacon."

"Hold the bacon."

"Can I get jack cheese," she questioned, trying to hold back a smile.

"On the side?"

"Instead of Swiss… Swiss is so stringy."

Realizing what she was doing, Luke shook his head. "Fine, Jack cheese."

"Also, I think I'm allergic to oregano, so hold that, too, and some coffee."

Taking a deep breath, he confirmed. "So, just the eggs, tomatoes, and jack cheese?"

"Not too many tomatoes," she pushed further.

"Light on the tomatoes."

"Very light." Holding up her fingers to show him, she continued, "Just a teeny-tiny amount, practically none."

"I'm skipping the tomatoes. It's an omelet with jack cheese."

"Perfect."

"You did this on purpose," Luke frowned. "You're lucky I love you."

"Yes, I am," Lorelai grinned.

"I want French toast!" Rory interjected with a smile of her own.

"You got it, Rory," he called as he wrote it down. "See." Jerking his chin towards Rory, he spoke to Lorelai. "She makes it easier."

"Oh, but where's the fun in that." She answered, a playful gleam in her eye.

Finishing writing down their order, Luke began to walk away, but before he could get far, he was stopped.

"Hey, babe, one more thing."

Sighing, he looked back at Lorelai and pointed at her. "If you want to change one more thing on your omelet, I will give you decaf."

With wide eyes, she gasped, feigning shock. "That's mean!" Reaching out her hand, she waited for him to take it. When he finally did, she smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not changing anything. I just wanted to let you know that we are good to go with the whole moving thing. The one sitting next to me is over the moon about it."

His frustration quickly leaving, a smile tugged at his lips. "Really?"

"Yep," Lorelai nodded. "We talked it out this morning. Isn't that right, Rory?"

"Mhmmm!" She agreed. Rising up on her knees in her chair, she looked up at Luke. "When are you coming?"

Thinking on his schedule, he looked back at Lorelai. "I have the morning to late afternoon shift tomorrow, so we may have to wait until next weekend."

Shrugging nonchalantly, she answered, "I guess that's okay. You already have some stuff at the house anyway, so we can wait until then to move you in completely."

Both of them smiled at how everything was coming together.

"Alright," Luke confirmed, "It sounds like a plan." Planting a chaste kiss on her lips, he nodded. "I'm gonna go put your orders in and I'll be back with a coffee and a hot chocolate."

"I can't wait to have this kind of service at home," Lorelai said as she winked at Rory. "We made a good choice."

* * *

"It's move in day," Rory yelled as she jumped on top of Lorelai, just as she did the day they moved into the house. As Lorelai suspected, Rory's extreme excitement hadn't changed since she found out Luke was moving in.

Stretching, she looked over at the clock to see the 9:30 time. "You waited longer this time. Thanks, kid." She smiled. "Luke will start bringing his stuff over about 12:00 so we better get ready so I can take you to Lane's in a little bit."

"Okay!" As she jumped off the bed and left the room, Lorelai heard the sound of Rory's footsteps as she took off down the stairs and back to her room.

Looking around the room, Lorelai took in what would probably be the last time this room was all her own. Of course, since Luke had been spending the night, his clothes and stuff had slowly intertwined with hers. A few of his flannels hung in her closet and some of his jeans laid folded in a drawer, and his toiletries took up a shelf in the medicine cabinet. Even a blanket from his place had somehow made its way over and was now draped over the end of the bed. The room really hadn't just been hers in a long time. "Maybe this won't be won't be so scary after all," she whispered into the air wearing a smile.

* * *

After dropping Rory off, she pulled back into the driveway. Grabbing her purse from the passenger seat, she looked up into the rearview mirror to see Luke pull in behind her, his truck bed filled with various boxes and items.

Hopping out quickly, Lorelai walked over to his door and pulled it open. "Well, hello weary traveler. Are you looking for somewhere to stay?"

"Damn, I was looking for some place normal, but I guess I pulled into the loony bin instead," he deadpanned.

"You know, if you keep saying that we're crazy, one day you're going to realize that by hanging out with us, you're just as crazy."

"Let me know when that happens, and I'll start looking for the guys with the big butterfly nets to come take me," he teased as he stood up out of the cab.

Just like that, she turned the teasing off. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she spoke a light, "Hey."

"Hi." He grinned, dropping a chaste kiss to her lips. "Hi Babette," He called out loudly over hoer shoulder, the old lady waving back from her open window with a phone pressed to her ear. "Not only am I going to be watched at my diner, but I'm going to be watched at home too."

"Don't worry," Lorelai winked, patting his chest. "Unless you plan of having your way with me in the middle of the yard, the only thing she'll see is you coming and going."

"I don't think that will be a problem."

Looking around him, she took in the various things he brought. "That's really all you brought?" She questioned, gesturing to the actually scarcely filled truck bed.

Turning to look with her, he nodded. "Oh, yeah. I left some stuff at the apartment, but none of it was very important to have here. This is all I really need."

"Huh, well this won't take as long as I thought." Taking his hand in hers and squeezing it, she pulled him with her. "Let's get this show on the road."

A few hours later, Luke walked upstairs into the bedroom with his last box. Knocking on the door frame as he entered, he called, "This is it… are you sure you don't want to change your mind."

Looking up from the small box of clothes she was unpacking, Lorelai shook her head. "I'm sure… And you know you don't have to knock anymore. It's not my room… It's ours."

"Ours," he repeated, dropping the box on the floor and walking over to her. Planting a soft kiss to her forehead, he sat down beside her. "I like the sound of that."

"Me too…" she grinned. As she folded a t-shirt from the pile she had put on the other side of her, she continued, "By the way, speaking of the room being ours now, I wanted to talk about Rory."

"What about her?"

"Well, since we've lived here, we've pretty much had an open-door policy. I mean we've shared a bed for most of her life so far, so her coming in at night and hopping in bed with me is something that happens from time to time. But just like the nights you were here, she knows she needs to knock now before she opens the door." Laughing slightly, she went on, "I don't want her seeing anything that might scar her for life."

Wincing, Luke shook his head. "I don't even want to think about that."

"I know…" She wrinkled her nose along with him. "But that's why I made sure we talked about it. She hasn't had them in a while, but there are times where she has had consecutive nightmares, and she would usually jump in without second thought."

"You know, she can still do that, right? I mean, the bed might be a little tight with all three of us, but I can move to the couch if I have to…"

Shaking her head, she planted a light kiss on his lips. "I love that you would do that, but I'm sure this bed will be big enough if the time comes."

"If you say so…"

Patting his thigh, Lorelai stood up, taking his hands in hers. "Come one. We've done enough unpacking for right now. Let's take a break."

Giving in, Luke followed behind her, their joined hands coming to rest in the small of her back. "What are we doing?"

"We are going downstairs, and we are going to eat a snack. I'm thinking ice cream."

Rolling his eyes, he frowned, though she couldn't see him. "So, by we, you mean you…"

"No, I mean we…" she laughed. "You know, babe, I could hear your eyes rolling."

Chuckling, he swatted at her as they reached the landing. "Yeah, well what's new."

Turning to face him, she walked backwards into the kitchen, tilting her head to one side and wearing a naughty smile. "Maybe one day you'll roll them hard enough and find a brain back there."

"You're just full of it today."

"No…" she countered, happiness filling her voice. "I'm just happy."

"Good… Me too."

Catching the pile of mail he brought in out of the corner of his eye as she disappeared into the kitchen, Luke grabbed it, bringing the various envelopes and ads with him. "Here," he placed the pile down in front of her. "I went ahead and got the mail out of the mailbox when I came in with the last box. When was the last time you got your mail?"

Licking the ice cream off of the spoon she already filled, Lorelai smiled. "Look at you, already being domestic." Picking it up, she flipped through it as he rummaged through the fridge for a snack for himself. Her eyes trailed across the card she held in her hands, and the happiness that filled her was quickly replaced with irritation. "What the hell!"

"What?" Luke jumped, slamming his head on the top of the fridge. "Shit that hurt!" Rubbing the back of his head as he stood up straight, he murmured under his breath. "Just like the first time we met."

Not deterred by his mumbling, she held up her hand as she kept reading. "December 8th? Damnit, Christopher!"

It wasn't jealousy that gripped him. The tone of her voice stirred something else within him: anger. Knowing that Christopher obviously did something wrong, he walked over to Lorelai cautiously. "Lorelai, what did he do?"

"Ugh, he pisses me off so much!" Holding out the card to him, she frowned. "He seriously can't even remember his own daughter's birthday! It's not like I didn't try to call him and remind him to call her on her birthday. I tried to call the last number I had for him, but it gave me a different number. When I called that one, it was disconnected, as usual! I never thought he'd actually forget, though!"

Taking the card from her hand, Luke read the hastily drawn scrawl.

 _Hello from London,_

 _Happy Birthday kiddo! I hope this card arrives on time for your birthday on the 8_ _th_ _. It's hard to believe that you're 6 already! How did you get so big? I'll be back in Connecticut in January, so get ready to see me!_

 _-Dad_

Trying not to believe what he ready, Luke questioned, "How do you know he didn't send this in October and it's just getting here now?"

"Look at the date at the top left-hand corner."

"12/01/90… Piece of shit," he grumbled as he handed the card back to her. Walking over, he stood in front of the sink looking out the window as thought after thought about Christopher flew through his head.

"Praise the Lord for Rachel," Lorelai sighed, her voice filled with relief.

Looking back to her, Luke tilted his head questioningly. Those were the last words he expected to hear in this situation. "What?"

Holding up the post card that was further down the pile, Lorelai smiled. "Rachel… she sent a postcard. It doesn't mention anything about Rory's birthday, and she did what she promised by sending one. Rory is going to be ecstatic. This card could not have come at a better time," she answered, her smile growing wider as she spoke.

"It has been about a week, like she promised. Maybe Rory will take his card better if she sees Rachel's after."

"That's what I'm hoping for."

* * *

Bursting through the door, Rory sprinted to the couch and jumped at Luke. "You're here!"

Laughing at her excitement, Luke answered, "I am here. I'm here for good. You okay with that?"

Nodding wildly, she squeezed his neck in a hug. "Yeah! We get breakfast in our kitchen now!"

Lorelai laughed from the living room doorway as Luke smirked over his shoulder at her. "Apparently cooking is all I am good for."

"At least you know your strengths… Speaking of food, is dinner ready?"

"It's on the stove, ready to be eaten."

Smiling she planted a kiss to his head as she walked by. "You're such a good provider."

As they all filed into the kitchen, Lorelai saw the mail pile on the center of the table, reminding her of the cards she found there earlier today. Her attitude quickly growing somber, she grabbed the two cards from the top. "Uh, Rory. Something came for you today."

Walking over and taking her seat at the table, Rory leaned forward on her knees trying to catch a glimpse of what Lorelai had in her hands. "Really? What is it?"

Placing the post cards down on the table in front of her, Lorelai pushed one closer to her. "This is a post card from your dad."

"Cool!" After she took it from her mother's hand, she read it. "My birthday was a long time ago… October 8th," Rory spoke, looking up at Lorelai curiously.

"I know, hon. Maybe it just took a long time to get here," she responded with Luke's original reasoning, hoping Rory didn't note the date in the corner.

"Maybe." Laying the card down, Rory continued. "He was in London. Where is that?"

"That's in England," Lorelai answered slowly, trying to gage her daughter's reaction. Much to her dismay, Rory didn't really show much emotion.

Looking at the second card sitting on the table, Rory prodded, "Is that from dad too?"

"Actually," Lorelai answered, pushing it over to her, "That one is from Rachel."

"She sent me a post card?" Rory exclaimed, immediately perking up with a bright smile appearing on her face. "She promised, and she sent one! I'm gonna read it!"

Lorelai watched as Rory's eyes danced across the card.

"She's in a place called Sal-va-dor," Rory sounded out. "She said the food is good, but she misses the triple chocolate M&M milkshake! My milkshake!"

It was at this moment that Lorelai really couldn't be more thankful for Rachel. Luke was moved in, and Rory was happy. _"I'll have to thank her later,"_ she thought. Pulled from her thoughts from Rory's talk about milkshakes, she smiled. "That's great, hon. Why don't you go put them on your postcard board?"

"Okay!"

When she was gone from the room, Lorelai turned to Luke who was hovering in the doorway. "Chris screwed up, but Rachel saved the day. I'm just glad there were no tears."

Nodding back, Luke agreed. "Me too… I still hate the guy. He needs a good beating."

"Believe me, no one wants to whack Chris more than I do, but I can't. He's still her dad."

"Yeah, well, he has a shitty way of showing it," Luke growled.

"Luke," she sighed. Walking over to him she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against the wall of his chest. "He pisses me off too, but there's nothing I can do. I gave him a piece of my mind the last time I saw him; you were there. He has to make the choice to see her himself."

His hands coming to rest on her back, he traced small circles, trying to relieve the anger that was in him. "Right now, he's making the wrong choice."

"I agree, but all I can do is be here for Rory. I can't control him."

"I know," he answered, planting a kiss to her hair. "He's still a jackass, though."

Laughing against his shoulder, Lorelai smiled. "He is that." Squeezing his waist, she leaned back, pulling him with her. "Come on. Let's not let him ruin our night. Tonight, is your first official dinner as a resident of this house."

"I'm pretty sure I've eaten her before," Luke deadpanned as he walked over to the stove to prepare the plates.

"Yeah, but not living here," she countered. "You've been officially inducted into the Gilmore girl household, and if you haven't noticed, it's a pretty exclusive place. It's hard to get into. It's a good thing we like you so much."

"I like you guys, too," he agreed, looking over at her with a genuine smile. "A lot."

* * *

 **A/N pt 2: So, did you guys enjoy it! They finally moved in together! I hope I did the scene justice for you guys.**

 **I didn't want to make the note too long at the top, but I did want to mention one important thing. A few weeks back, this story crossed over 100 favorites, 200 follows, and 250 comments! I want to thank you guys sooooooo much for the follows, favorites, and reviews. I notice and appreciate EVERY single one of them, and I couldn't be happier that y'all enjoy my writing.**

 **xoxo explosivesky**


	32. Chapter 32: Maybe a Not-So-Dark-Day

**CHAPTER 32: Not-So-Dark Day**

Frowning as Luke walked out of the room, Lorelai followed him down the stairs. "Luke, what the hell is your problem?"

"I just need to get away for a day!"

"To get away from what? From me?" She countered him indignantly. "What did I do?"

Not stopping to turn around, Luke opened the front door while replying, "You haven't done anything!"

Unwilling to let up, she walked out behind him, pulling the door closed behind her. Stomping down the stairs, she met him in the yard nose to nose. "Then why, Luke? Why do you have to get away?"

"Because I just do!"

"No! I'm not accepting that! Why won't you tell me," she plead, frustration tinging her voice. "I'm so damn tired of the vague answers you've been giving me!"

Even though he knew good and well when she was referring to, he was too irritated to acknowledge it. "When have I given you vague answers?"

"When? Oh, I don't know," Lorelai seethed sarcastically. "What about Wednesday night!?"

* * *

 **WEDNESDAY EVENING**

 _Walking into the house from work, Lorelai dropped her stuff on the desk in the living room. Luke, already fixing dinner, stood at the stove stirring a pot as Rory sat at the table doing her homework._

 _Dropping a kiss to her daughter's forehead, Lorelai greeted her happily. "Hey, sweets! Homework going alright?"_

" _Yeah," Rory responded as she looked up from her paper. "We learned about homophones today! Did you know there are three ways to spell 'to' and they all mean something different," she spoke excitedly, holding up three fingers._

" _Really? No way!" Lorelai answered, playing off of Rory's excitement._

" _Yeah! T-w-o is the number, t-o-o means also, and t-o is used for everything else."_

" _That's too cool, hon." Lorelai smiled._

" _I know!" Grabbing her pencil with a grin, Rory hunkered down and got back to work._

 _Taking this as dismissal from their conversation, Lorelai shook her head with a small laugh and turned to walk over to Luke. Wrapping her arms around his waist from behind, she planted a kiss on his cheek. "Hey, Luke. What's for dinner?"_

" _Hey," he answered noncommittally. Reaching down with his free hand, he squeezed one of hers. "I thought we'd do chili since it's pretty cold outside."_

" _Sounds good." Releasing his waist, she walked over to the cabinet to grab a mug and poured coffee that, judging by the steam rising from it, had no doubt just been made by Luke a few minutes prior._

 _Trotting over to the fridge, she opened it to see a Luke's to-go box resting on the middle shelf. "Ooo, pie!"_

 _Hearing her rustling through the fridge, Luke frowned. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Don't tell me you are seriously looking for something to eat."_

" _Actually," she answered, "I was looking to see whether or not we had some cheese to sprinkle on top of the chili."_

" _Because that's healthy," he grumbled._

" _I never said it was." Hearing something out of the norm in his voice, Lorelai turned around to look at him. Now in front of the counter, he stood with shoulders slightly slumped… a sign that he was actually in a bad mood. Tilting her head to the side, she walked back over to him and ran her hand lightly down his back. "Everything okay?"_

" _Yeah, I'm fine," Luke responded unconvincingly, "It's just been a long day."_

 _Despite knowing that there was probably more to it, she didn't want to push him. Figuring he would tell her later when Rory wasn't in the room, she nodded.  
"Okay… I'm gonna go upstairs and change into something more comfortable. Call me when the chili is done if I'm not down."_

* * *

 _Later that night, walking into the bedroom from the bathroom, Lorelai, donned in her flannel shirt, grabbed the pie plate from her nightstand and plopped down on the bed. "In my hand, ladies and gentlemen, sits the true advantage of dating a diner owner. I am never more than 10 feet away from pie."_

 _Dropping his pants and shirt he just changed out of into the hamper, Luke looked over at her with a smirk. "Ah. See, I thought it was the way we always smell faintly of meat."_

" _Ah it's Heaven! Now, whether here or the diner, one quick trip downstairs and I have all the treats I want. You're like Willy Wonka, but hotter."_

 _Rolling his eyes, he answered. "I am not hotter than Willy Wonka."_

 _Smiling at his eye roll, she continued, "Slap on a purple top had and you're close."_

 _Trying not to rise to her comment, Luke pulled back the covers and climbed into bed next to her._

" _This is nice," Lorelai informed him plainly, completely changing the subject as she began picking at the pie crust on her plate._

 _Rubbing her leg, Luke nodded. "I have very few complaints."_

" _Hmm, I'm going right past the 'very few complaints' comment because I know you're just trying to bait me… What complaints?" she prodded, leaning closer to him with a naughty smile._

 _Chuckling, Luke ignored her and began fluffing the pillow behind him, making it ready for him to lay down on._

" _Hey… So, Luke, Miss Patty is celebrating her 30-year anniversary."_

" _Which husband," he deadpanned._

" _With the business we call show."_

" _Oh him."_

 _Looking at him with begging eyes, she explained. "And she's having a big party, and I told her we'd go."_

 _Sighing, Luke shook his head. "Oh, man."_

" _It'll be fun!"_

" _It will not be fun."_

" _Come on! I have to have you there," Lorelai plead, shamelessly wearing a slight pout on her lips. "Otherwise people will think I made you up."_

" _Fine," he conceded. "I'll go."_

" _Thank you," she grinned, pecking a quick kiss to his cheek before taking another bite of her dessert. "So, it's Friday at eight o'clock."_

 _Despite his intentions to hide it, Lorelai noticed Luke tensed slightly._

 _Sitting up, he pulled the covers over him and prepared to go to sleep. "I can't go Friday."_

 _Pressing him again, hoping he would tell her why, she questioned, "Why not?"_

" _I have to go out of town."_

" _Why?"_

" _Business."_

 _Frowning, she noticed how his answers were becoming short, just like they had earlier in the evening. "Business? Now your Willy Loman?"_

" _Banking business in Woodbury," he elaborated plainly. "Standing appointment. Sorry. Hit the light will ya?" Leaning over, he planted a quick kiss to Lorelai's lips. "I have to get up early. Night."_

 _Disappointment written all over her face and filling her voice, she responded quietly. "Ok… night."_

* * *

"Or do we want to talk about what happened tonight," Lorelai yelled, growing angry at his obliviousness. "Because I sure remember some pretty vague answers _and_ some pretty rude things coming out of your mouth."

* * *

 **EARLIER THAT EVENING**

 _Sitting at the table eating pizza, Lorelai and Rory munched along, laughing about one of the crazy things Kirk had said while they were out and about earlier in the day. As they giggled, Luke finally entered the house, but, not stopping to check in in the kitchen, he headed for the stairs._

 _Hearing him ascend the stairs, Lorelai frowned. Placing her pizza on her plate, she looked over at Rory. "I'll be right back, hon. Don't eat the whole pizza without me."_

 _Going up the stairs herself, she reached her doorway to see Luke closing his nightstand drawer and noticed the bag he had filled on the bed. "Are you getting ready to go somewhere?"_

" _I'm going back to the diner. I've got to get up early tomorrow so that I can leave later for that bank thing."_

 _Narrowing her eyes at him, she questioned, "What do you mean you're going back? Are you not done closing yet?"_

 _Sighing, Luke zipped the bag quickly and turned around to face her. "I mean, I'm going back to the diner tonight to sleep. I'll be back tomorrow," He supplied._

" _Okay… am I crazy or did you not just move out of the diner four days ago? Just because you have to get up early doesn't mean you still have to go back. Why are you going back?"_

" _I just have to…"_

 _Rolling her eyes, Lorelai inhaled a deep breath and blew out slowly. "Luke… Is there a reason you're being so ambiguous with me?" she questioned._

 _Before he could answer, they were cut off but the sound of little footsteps approaching. A few seconds later, into the room bounded Rory. "Mommy! Your pizza is getting cold!"_

 _Reining the slight frustration that was building in her, Lorelai turned to her with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know sweets. I'll eat it in a few minutes."_

 _Accepting her answer, Rory turned to Luke who was still standing by the bed but now had his hands in his pockets. "Hi, Daddy Luke!" Catching sight of the bag behind him, she immediately frowned. "Are you leaving?"_

" _Hi, Rory…" he answered slowly. "I'm just have to go back to the diner."_

 _Gasping, Rory looked at him imploringly. "But it's movie night! You're always here for movie night!"_

 _Wanting nothing more than to be there with them, but knowing he wouldn't be the best of company because of his attitude, Luke supplied quickly. "Rory, I can't"_

" _Are you sure?"_

" _Yes…"_

" _But, me and Mommy were…"_

 _Before he could catch himself, Luke answered a little harsher than he would normally mean to. "Rory, no! Stop!"_

 _Preventing herself from yelling at him, Lorelai bit her lip as the anger burned in her stomach. Seeing Rory's sad and slightly shocked look, Lorelai immediately softened for a moment. "Hey, hon… Why don't you go back and finish your pizza then get your pajamas on? We'll curl up on the couch and watch the Little Mermaid in a little bit. I've got a super-fantastically-large bag of red vines if you want them."_

" _Okay…" Rory agreed hesitantly, sadness tinging her voice._

 _As she disappeared downstairs, Lorelai quickly shut the door and grabbed Luke by the sleeve, despite his resistance, and pulled him further into the room._

" _Lorelai, what the hell are you…"_

" _Nuh uh," she cut him off forcefully, "Don't 'what the hell' me… I don't know what's got you in this less than great mood today, but Rory didn't deserve that, and you know it!"_

 _Not really sure of what to say, Luke just sighed, running his hand over his face as he looked at her blankly._

" _What? You've got no response? You're seriously not going to tell me what's going on?"_

 _His mind searched for the words, but Luke didn't know how to explain what was causing his mood without making him sound weak and ridiculous._

" _Fine. Don't tell me…" Lorelai spat. Clinching her jaw for a moment, she continued frustrated, "But I seriously suggest you fix whatever it is before you yell at my kid again."_

 _As she stormed out of the room to go back downstairs and check on Rory, Luke sighed loudly. Removing his cap, he ran his fingers through is matted hair. "This is for the best," he whispered as he decided to hull up in the room until Rory went to bed, not wanting to risk seeing her or Lorelai and having his temper flare again. But much to his dismay, going down later would lead him to a much larger argument than he intended._

* * *

"I thought you were just in a mood at first," Lorelai explained, shaking her head. "But now it just seems like you're trying your best to be a pain in the ass!"

Drooping his head, Luke knew she was right. He was being an ass, but he felt like he couldn't help it. The only way to stop himself from being that way to her was to get away. "Lorelai… Just please go to bed," he implored.

Crossing her arms in front of her, she frowned. "You know what," she spoke, her voice now filled with more sadness over being shut out. "That's what I'm going to do. I've had enough of this… Just go to the apartment and don't call me or talk to me until you're done being an ass."

* * *

As the clock struck 1:39 am, his body still wouldn't submit to sleep. Lorelai's words kept running thought his mind. _"Don't call me or talk to me until you're done being an ass…"_ The utter sadness in her voice bothered him, and it killed him to know that he was the one to cause it. _"Why can't I tell her? Why can't I control myself? Why, after all these years, does it hurt so bad?... Why can't I tell her?"_

With his mind whirling from past to present, Luke's body finally reached the point of exhaustion, forcing him to fall asleep.

* * *

After flying into the lake from the rope swing, Rory's little head popped up from the surface of the water. "Come on, Mommy! It's fun!"

"I don't think so, kid!" Lorelai laughed from Luke's lap as they watched her splash around and enjoy herself in the water. "But I bet Grandpa Will will join you if you ask nice enough."

Looking over, Luke saw his father lounging lazily in the chair next to them.

Tearing his eyes from the paper in his hands, Will called back, "I don't know about that, Rory… I might be a little too old."

"You're not old!" Rory giggled. "Please! I'll give you a really big hug!"

"Well, why didn't you just say so?" He chuckled. Kicking off his shoes, he began walking towards the bank of the lake.

"No! You have to use the swing like me."

"If I use the swing, I get two hugs," Will bartered, smiling brightly. "Do we have a deal?"

"Deal," Rory yelled as she splashed excitedly.

Just as Luke had seen him do many times during his childhood, Will launched himself from the swing with ease, a large splash erupting as he hit the water.

* * *

His eyes opening suddenly, Luke came to. Taking in a deep breath, he didn't make a move to get up as reality of where he actually was set in. Despite how much he wanted it to, that dream was never going to happen. He and Lorelai were never going to share a cabin trip with his dad. He would never get to see his father's eyes light up as Rory talked to him. He would never be able to take time off, relaxing with _all of them_ as a family. That would never happen, and as the sob caught in his throat at the realization, he turned over on his side, willing himself to go back to sleep and avoid the hell that this day was sure to bring.

* * *

"Gone fishing!" Lorelai exclaimed, disbelief filling her voice. "He said he would be open this morning!"

Seeing Patty approaching Lorelai frowned. "He's not here."

"Oh, no, honey… Today's the 13th. Luke's never here on the 13th… it's the dark day."

Looking at her curiously, Lorelai pulled Patty aside from the small crowd that had gathered at the door. Dropping her bag, she questioned, "What dark day?"

Her eyes widening slightly, Patty brought her fingers to her lips. "Oh, honey, you don't know? Today's Luke's dark day. The day he disappears."

"Disappears where?" Her mind suddenly spinning, Lorelai struggled to think of where Luke could have gone between that moment and last night.

Shaking her head, she answered, "Nobody knows. Nobody knows where he goes of what he does. All we know is not to try and find him."

"Why didn't I know about this?"

"I don't know, honey, but none of us really know much about it. He just disappears for the day and comes back the next like nothing ever happened."

Nodding, but not satisfied with her answers, Lorelai smiled sadly. "Thanks Patty. I'll see you around."

A few minutes later, Lorelai scurried into the inn, realizing on her way there that Mia might have the answers she was looking for. Knocking quickly, she shuffled her feet, waiting anxiously for Mia to open the door. As soon as the door cracked, she blurted, "Mia, I don't know where Luke is!"

Taking a moment to realize what she said, realization finally dawned on Mia. "Oh my goodness… It's the 13th isn't it."

"Uh yeah, but I still don't understand what this day has to do with Luke."

"Sweetheart, it has everything to do with Luke. Come with me."

Walking in, they both sat on the couch, Mia taking Lorelai's hands in hers. "I should have warned you about this."

Not wanting to drag along any more than she had to, Lorelai jumped into questioning immediately. "Patty said Luke has a dark day, and that's what today is… Why is this day his dark day."

"Patty is right," Mia sighed. "It is his dark day. As far as why, I do know, but I believe that it's for him to tell you. I can tell you, though, that he will be back tomorrow. He always comes back… He just needs some time for himself."

Hoping she could at least give her some true peace of mind, Lorelai prodded, "Do you know where he goes?"

Shaking her head with a sympathetic frown, Mia answered, "I don't. He changes the place every year."

"Gah!" Putting her face in her hands, any bit of anger that had spurred in her last night or this morning melted away. Not looking up, Lorelai spoke inhibited words. "We had a fight last night because he was being an ass…"

Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, Mia agreed. "Lucas can be that way every once in a while."

Her eyes shifting up at the gesture, Lorelai shook her head sadly. "And he was. He was closing up on me, and he unnecessarily yelled at Rory… I had every right to be angry, but now I feel awful because his crabbiness probably has something to do with this. I thought it had something to do with him second guessing living with us… Now I hate to think that he's out there somewhere all alone, trying to deal with whatever it is that makes him upset. I could help, or, at least, try to."

"I know you would… I'm sorry I can't tell you where he is."

Sighing, Lorelai squeezed Mia's arm. "It's okay… I just hope _he's_ okay."

"He'll be fine, Lorelai. He always is. Just be patient with him."

* * *

On her lunch break, Lorelai left the desk, taking the phone with her. Walking out onto the corner of the front porch, she dialed the familiar numbers to the diner. As the answering machine beeped, she spoke carefully. "Hey, babe… It's me."

Taking a deep breath, she continued sincerely, "Look… I don't know where you are right now, but I hope you hear this message soon. If you hear this message tomorrow, then at least call me and let me know that you're okay… I don't know what's going on, and all Miss Patty and Mia could tell me was that you're having a dark day."

Shaking her head, a tear escaped the corner of her eye. "I was angry. I was actually angry when I saw that 'Gone Fishing' sign on the door, but now I'm not angry. I just want to know that you're okay. I don't know what dark day means, but I know that it means you're facing something bad, so I wanted to tell you that I love you. I love you, Luke, and if you happen to be at the apartment and you need me, just call me. Call me, and I'll come… I…"

Her voicemail was cut off, and through the phone she heard a quiet, "Lorelai…"

"Luke…" she breathed, surprised but relieved. "I'll be there soon."

In what seemed like record time, after making Rory's afterschool arrangements with Mia, Lorelai made it to the diner, and found herself slightly out of breath as she reached the apartment door. Reaching for the doorknob, she paused. _"Should I really go in?... No, I have to go in. He wouldn't have answered if he didn't want me to come."_

Opening the door slowly, she peered through the darkened apartment and called out a soft, "Luke?"

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw Luke's form on the couch, noticing his head in his hands. Making her way to him, Lorelai sat down beside him, drawing him to her immediately.

Falling into her, Luke buried his face against her and whispered, "I'm sorry. Rory… You… I'm so sorry."

Hearing the sorrow in his voice, she planted a kiss to the top of his head and began stroking up and down his back. "It's okay." Though she wanted to start questioning him immediately, seeing the state he was in, she thought better of it. Instead, as she felt his growing weight against her, she whispered, "Babe, scoot forward a second."

Stretching out behind him, she turned on her side. "Here, now lay down."

Obliging easily, Luke laid down, facing her, again burying his face against her chest.

Throwing a protective arm and leg around him, Lorelai pulled him as close as possible as they laid in silence.

It could have been a few minutes or a few hours, she didn't know. All she knew was that, from hearing the sound of Luke's soft snores, he was getting the rest he needed. Meanwhile, her mind was racing, trying to figure out what would put him in such a somber state.

Out of nowhere, she was pulled from her thoughts as Luke started shift. Groaning, his eyes shot open as he yelled, "Dad! Rory!"

"Luke, Luke, Luke!" Lorelai called, clinging to him so he wouldn't roll of the couch.

Feeling some of the tension release from his shoulders and his heart rate start to calm, she knew he was finally well awake. "Luke," she spoke softly, "It was a dream... It was only a dream."

"A dream," he answered quietly. Tilting his head up and bringing his eyes to hers, he spoke with a voice laced with concern. "Where's Rory?"

"Shhh…" she soothed, running her fingers through his mussed hair. "She's fine. She's with Mia."

Forgetting their placement, Luke tried to turn on to his back. Luckily, Lorelai had a tight enough grip around him to keep him from falling off. "Woah! Be careful… Why don't we move to the bed? I know it's not much bigger, but at least it is a little."

"Okay…"

As they got up, Lorelai kicked something. Looking down at the floor, she made out the figure of a box with Rory's album on top. _"That's why he was going through the night stand."_ As Luke continued to head to the bed, she bent down and picked it up, setting it down as she reached his bedside table.

Stretching out on his back, Luke reached over for her hand, pulling her down to him and letting her drape herself slightly over him, as they usually would in their bed at the house.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" he answered, an overwhelming sadness filling his voice.

Looking up at him, she took a chance and spoke in a soft voice, "Luke, what's going on?"

Not moving his eyes from the ceiling, he spoke quietly, "Today's the anniversary of my dad's death… 8 years ago; it's been 8 years."

"Oh, Luke…" Sighing, she pulled her self up to meet him. Cupping his cheek in her hand, she planted a soft kiss on hips lips. "I'm sorry."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "This is what I do every year… I hide out here or somewhere else, isolating myself from everyone. I just sit and sleep. Sometimes, I go through is things that I have left, but most of the time I just try to make it through the day in one piece… If he were here, he'd call me a damned fool."

As he finished, Lorelai could see the pain in his eyes. "You do what you have to do," she reassured him.

"No… my mother's death doesn't affect me like this. Something about this day turns me into another person. Lorelai, I yelled at you… and at Rory. What kind of man does that?'

Shaking her head, she answered, "I'll admit, yelling isn't the best, but Luke, you're grieving."

"It's no excuse. I yelled at you for trying to help."

"Babe, don't beat yourself up," Lorelai frowned as she spoke. "Yes, I was mad and Rory was hurt, but at least I know a reason for it now…" Slipping her hand under his t-shirt, she drew soothing circles around his stomach. "You're grieving, Luke. I know it's been 8 years, but it's okay that the pain is still there… I'm here. I'm not your dad, but I'm here. I'll do whatever I need to help."

"I love you," he breathed, planting his lips to hers tenderly. "I don't deserve you."

"And I don't deserve you most of the time either, so we're even." Lorelai could tell by the look in his eyes that he was still weighed down heavily with guilt. "I'm not going anywhere, Luke," she reassured him, "Yes, you yelled, but I forgive you. Stop beating yourself up…"

Instead of responding, Luke merely nodded.

Not sure what to make of his silence, Lorelai bit her lip in contemplation. "Do you want me to stay? I can leave if you want me to go."

Tightening his grip around her middle, he smiled small at her and murmured, "I don't want you go to."

"Then I won't."

As they fell into another silence as they did on the couch, her hands kneaded his tense body aimlessly as she did her best to be the solid rock that Luke needed.

* * *

Lorelai's eyes opened slowly as she took in her surroundings. Remembering where she was and why, she didn't move much, doing her best not to disturb Luke. Looking over at his nightstand, she took in the 5:30 pm time.

Shifting slowly, she unwound herself from him, moving carefully as not to wake him up. As she reached her feet, she lingered, watching as he unconsciously reached for the pillow they shared, bringing it closer to him.

Satisfied that she hadn't woken him up, she tip toed over to the phone and carried it with her out into the hall as she dialed.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mia. It's Lorelai."

"Hey… How's Luke? How are you?" The older woman questioned, concern tinging her voice.

"Luke's alright. He's asleep right now…" Thinking back on the depressed form she saw when she walked in the apartment earlier that day, Lorelai sighed. "Mia, I've never seen him like this. Why wouldn't he tell me? I would have been here earlier if I'd known. I probably wouldn't even have come to the inn today and stayed with him."

"I know that, and I'm sure Lucas knows that," Mia explained, "He just has a hard time sharing his thoughts and emotions sometimes… Kind of like someone else I know."

Lorelai smiled knowingly. "It sounds like a 16-year-old girl I remember coming to the inn a few years back who lied to the sweet inn keeper about why she and her daughter suddenly needed somewhere to stay."

"Exactly…"

Peeking back in the door, Lorelai saw no sign of movement from Luke. Closing it back again, she sighed sadly. "Mia… He's made me so mad the past few days, but now I feel awful."

"Honey, you can't beat yourself up. You didn't know."

"I know," Lorelai smiled sadly. She found it funny how Mia was having to reassure her the same way she reassured Luke. Realizing the noise in the back ground on Mia's end, Lorelai questioned, "How's Rory?"

"I'm glad you asked," Mia laughed. "Right now, she happens to be tugging at my jacket. She's dying to talk to you."

"Well, put her on!"

She heard the sounds of shuffling before she was greeted with a loud and happy, "Hi, Mommy!"

"Hey, my sweet girl! Are you having a good time with Mia?"

"Yeah! We made cookies."

"Really? Before dinner? That's my girl."

"I saved you some…" As per usual with 6-year-old minds, Rory had no trouble suddenly changing the subject. "Mommy, where are you?"

"I'm at Daddy Luke's old apartment. He doesn't feel too well."

"Is he sick?"

Lorelai could hear the concern in Rory's voice. Sighing, she tried to figure out the best way to explain what was going on. "Rory… You know how you sometimes get sad and feel bad when you miss your Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, Daddy Luke is sad and feels bad because he misses his daddy."

"Oh… does he want me to save him some cookies? Cookies make me happy. Will that make him happy?"

Laughing softly, Lorelai smiled. "I think it will… that and a big hug might make him feel a little better."

"Okay! I can give them to him tonight when we decorate for Christmas!"

Slapping her forehead, the sound of the impact echoed though the quiet hall. Somehow, she had forgotten that she promised Rory that they would decorate since they weren't going to Miss Patty's party. _"Maybe Luke will be up for a night in,"_ she thought. _"It may help take his mind off of things."_ "I'm not sure kid… Let me check and see how Daddy Luke is doing, and we'll see if we are going to decorate tonight. If not, how does decorating tomorrow sound?"

"It sounds good!"

"Alright… Tell Mia I'll call her back in a little bit with plans, okay? Bye, Rory. I love you!"

"Bye, Mommy! I love you too!"

Opening the door to the apartment softly after she made a quick batch of coffee downstairs, Lorelai walked in and sat the phone back on its stand. As she tiptoed around to the couch, she heard a soft, "You don't have to be quiet. I'm awake."

Walking over to the bed, she sat down to see a wide-awake Luke. Reaching out, she laced her fingers through his, bringing their joined hands to rest on his stomach. "Another dream?"

Shaking his head, he answered, "No, I just woke up on my own… Who were you on the phone with?"

"Rory… well, Mia at first, but Rory wanted to talk too…" Looking at their hands where his thumb was circling the back of hers, she spoke softer. "She asked about you."

Tensing slightly, he questioned, "What did you tell her?"

"That you were missing your dad. I didn't go into full detail, but she knows what it's like to miss a parent in some capacity…" Remembering Rory's other question, she smiled. "She wanted to save you some cookies to make you happier, and she's planning on giving you a big hug when she sees you next."

"She's a great kid," Luke smiled, but only for a second as his frown soon reappeared. "I still can't believe I yelled at her."

"Luke…"

"No." He shook his head adamantly. "my dad's death is not an excuse… That's why I was trying to come here in the first place. I knew that I was going to be on edge, and I didn't want to hurt either of you, but that's exactly what I did."

"Well, you did, but it's forgotten…" Nudging his leg her with free hand, she made enough room to where she could lay back down next to him. Resting her head on his chest, she looked up at him and continued, "That's enough about me and Rory… How are you feeling now? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he murmured, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm just trying not to think too hard about him."

"Maybe you should."

The hand that was trailing up and down her shoulder froze. Looking down over at her curiously, Luke frowned. "What?"

"I'm just saying, maybe you should think about him."

Sensing that he was starting to feel combative, Lorelai shook her head and continued. "Don't think about the end… Think about everything else. There had to be some good times here and there throughout the years."

"There were more than a few," he acknowledged quietly. Seeing his eyes sort of glaze over, she could tell he was taking his thoughts back to the past. "Especially this time of year… when mom was alive. He acted like he hated Christmas, especially when it came to telling Taylor to buzz off and stop bugging him about decorations at the store, but at home, at least inside, our house probably had more holiday joy and spirit than anywhere else in the state."

"Really?" she supplied, smiling small as she hoped he would go on.

"Yeah… He always wanted to go all out on everything. He would string up lights and decorations inside the house, make his family-secret hot chocolate recipe every day of December until Christmas came, and read some sort of Christmas story to us before bed every night. He said it had something to do with not being able to experience Christmas much growing up, so he wanted to go all out for his own family."

"Huh," Lorelai mused, "That's nice…" Propping herself up on her elbow, she trailed a finger down his chest. "Hey, Luke…Do you think you'd want to do that with me?"

Torn from his memories, Luke looked at her, brows furrowed. "What?"

"Do you think you'd want to celebrate Christmas like that with me… well, me and Rory. We don't have to go _all_ out, but Rory did mention something about decorating the house for Christmas tonight if you're up for it."

Sighing, he shifted to face her and ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't know, Lorelai. I'm still in this kind of funk."

"I know," she smiled, "But maybe we can try and get you out of it. If it becomes too much for you, you can go upstairs, and Rory and I will finish."

Reaching out, he tucked a wayward curl back behind her ear as he contemplated what she said. Taking a deep breath, he nodded slowly. "Okay… We can do that."

* * *

"These cookies are great, sweets!" Lorelai complemented as she took another bite. "The red and green frosting was a nice touch too."

Shifting her eyes over to Luke, Rory watched as he took a small but from the snowflake cookie she saved him. "Do you like them, Daddy Luke?"

Looking up, he nodded and took a second bite. "I do… Thank you, Rory."

Hopping off the couch from where she was sitting, she walked over to where he was standing by the stairs and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry you're sad. I miss my dad sometimes too, but I have you and Mommy and cookies to make me happy."

Pleased by her sentiment, Luke patted her back. "It's okay…You and Mommy and these cookies make me happy too, so I'll be better soon."

"Are you going to decorate the tree with us?" Rory asked. "I'm always happy when I decorate the tree."

Glancing over at Lorelai, Luke wore a small smile as he answered, "If you want me to, then sure."

Pumping her fist, she exclaimed, "Alright, then. Let's decorate the tree!"

Stepping back 45 minutes later, Lorelai looked at the tree with a critical eye. "Are you sure there's enough ornaments on it? I feel like it still looks a little bare?"

"Lorelai, if we put anymore on it, you won't be able to see the actual tree," Luke deadpanned, putting a lid back on one of the empty ornament containers.

"I think it needs more!" Rory grinned, pushing the last box of decorations towards her mother from the stairs. "We have one more box! We have to use them!"

Taking in the small brown box, Lorelai noted the label written in black marker. "Oh yeah… Those are from Mia. Apparently when she was decorating her tree, she saw these in her collection and thought of me."

Grabbing the box, she carried it over and placed it in front of the tree. As she removed the flaps, she noticed a note sitting on the top. "Huh… What's this?"

Not taking any thought to the note, Luke and Rory began taking ornaments from the box. Out of the blue, Luke's breath hitched audibly as he held up a small, wooden angel.

Looking over at him, Rory prodded, "What is that?"

"It's an angel…" he mumbled. "I've seen this before. My dad made one just like this for my mom and Liz."

"Luke…"

Hearing the sudden change in her tone of voice, Luke turned to Lorelai to see her staring at the ornament in his hand. "That is your parents' ornament."

Handing him the note from Mia, she pointed to the bottom where he read,

 _"P.S. Show this part to Luke._

 _Luke,_

 _Your dad left this to me, and I've been using it for my tree at home, but per William's instructions, I am supposed to give this to you when you "finally become happy enough to celebrate Christmas again." I think this is the year, son. It's your year to be happy, so be happy, and make your girls happy too._

 _Mia_ "

Drawing in a shaky breath, Luke looked back up at Lorelai who had bright, teary eyes. "Did you know about this?"

Shaking her head, she laughed softly and wiped her eyes. "Does it look like I did?"

Smiling brilliantly, the first real smile he had worn all day, Luke stood up and handed the ornament to Rory, just as his father would do with Liz. "Here, Rory… Why don't you find the perfect spot for this?"

"Okay!" She exclaimed, taking the angel gently from his hand and circling the tree, looking for the best spot to put it.

As Rory searched, Luke walked into the kitchen where a sniffling Lorelai was grabbing a tissue. Not letting her turn around, Luke wrapped his arms around her from behind, placing a soft kiss to her neck.

"That was some ornament," she whispered, patting at her eyes.

"Tell me about it," he answered quietly.

Turning in his arms, she looked at him earnestly. "It's not too much?"

Shaking his head, he tightened his grip on her. "Not at all… It's perfect. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For this… For you. For Rory. For today. For tonight." He stressed. "This day sucks, but you've made it bearable."

Satisfied with his admission, she squeezed his waist. "All I've wanted to do was help," Lorelai whispered.

"You did... Maybe this dark day isn't so dark after all"

Wearing a small grin, she placed a chaste kiss to his lips. "If you want, we can make this a not-so-dark day instead… You can still remember your dad, but we'll kind of honor him in a way by decking the place out so much that it looks like Santa's workshop."

"I'd like that," Luke agreed, resting his forehead against hers. "I'd like that a lot."

* * *

 **A/N: Right now you may be thinking, "Wait... Isn't Luke's dark day right after Thanksgiving?" Yes... In the show, Luke's dark day is Nov. 30, however, in order to advance my timeline, I am making a slight change and moving it to December 13th. Yes... I also know that this is quite the random date, but with Luke's birthday and Thanksgiving also taking place in November, I did not want to have three of my chapters span the timeline of about two weeks.  
**

 **However, no matter the date, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm sorry it took me so long, but between college starting back and some MAJOR writer's block deciding to show up, I had a very hard time writing this chapter. I think I like how it turned out in the end, so I hope that, for y'all, the wait was worth it.**


	33. Chapter 33: Surprises

**CHAPTER 33: Surprises**

The following Monday morning, Lorelai drowsily staggered down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Hey, you're ready early. I haven't even gotten Rory up yet," Luke greeted, holding out a hot mug of coffee, ready for her to drink.

"Don't remind me," she groaned, sipping her way to life. "How's your head?"

"Better, thanks… Remind me to move that coffee table a little bit further back later."

"I'll put it on the list." Drinking a little more, Lorelai looked at the mug and frowned. "I would still be asleep if my body would let me. I did not sleep well."

"I noticed that. You were tossing and turning a lot." Flipping the pancake that was cooking on the stove, he turned back to face her. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah… Nothing's wrong. My body just wouldn't wind down."

"You know, drinking two cups of coffee after 10pm last night might have had something to do with that."

Narrowing her eyes at him, Lorelai stuck her tongue out teasingly. "You would think that…" As she fiddled with the edge of her mug, she continued. "I don't know… I just couldn't get comfortable. I felt like I needed to sprawl out, but I couldn't."

"Because I was there?"

Looking up quickly after hearing the slight hesitation in his voice, she answered, "No… I mean, yeah, but I didn't want to take up too much room. I want you to be comfortable too."

Smirking, Luke turned to look back at her. "Lorelai, I've slept on a twin bed for over 20 years. I don't need much room."

"I know you don't _need_ it," she stressed, "But I want you to have the option… I'm just used to being able to spread out every once in a while. It's a bad habit I've picked up since we moved out of the shed. I shared a bed with Rory for almost all of her life, so I can do it. I just have to get used to _permanently_ sharing a bed again."

"Well, we've only been at this thing for a few days, so I'm sure you'll get used to it eventually." Placing it on a plate, Luke walked with the pancake over to the table and put it in front of her, planting a kiss to the top of her head while he was at it. "For the record, you are welcome on my side anytime," he added smoothly.

Grinning, she looked up at him. "Why, Mr. Danes, that tone you're using implies that things would happen if I appeared on your side of the bed."

"I'm not implying. It's a pretty safe bet," he grinned back.

"You know what? I think you're right. I think I will get used to sharing a bed quite well." Gulping down the rest of her coffee, she started to cut into her breakfast. "Speaking of safe bets, is it a safe bet to say that you'll be spending Christmas here with me and Rory? Or do you have to have the diner open like you did on Thanksgiving?"

Gesturing to the decorations scatted across the kitchen, Luke questioned, "Do you really think we did all this so that I could spend Christmas at the diner?"

Ducking her head, Lorelai shrugged. "I don't know… We've never celebrated together, so I didn't know what you were planning."

"I'll be here," he nodded. "And don't worry, I've got presents."

A gasp escaping her lips, she smiled brightly. "Presents? For me?"

"No. They're for my other girlfriend named Lorelai."

"Well, the only other Lorelai I know aside from Rory is my grandmother, so unless there's something you want to tell me…"

Rolling his eyes, Luke frowned. "Stop. Don't' even imply that."

"Hey, you're the one that said it… So, you got me presents? Do you want to tell me what they are?" she asked hopefully, her eyes wide.

Shaking his head, he didn't even look back at her. "Nope… Christmas is 9 days away. You can wait that long."

"Not even a little hint," she whined, poking out her bottom lip.

"No, and if you go snooping for them and somehow find them, you won't get any."

Frowning, she crossed her arms over her chest. "You're no fun. I hate surprises."

With a quick flick of his wrist, Luke flipped the pancake he had poured into the pan and then looked back at her knowingly. "Oh, so if I asked you what you got me, you'd tell me?"

Smirking, Lorelai shook her head. "No… they're a surprise."

Scoffing, he rolled his eyes. "So only I can have surprises? You have to know about your presents ahead of time?"

"Yep," she nodded, taking the last bite of her pancake and swallowing quickly. "Them's the rules, babe."

"Well I'm breaking those rules." Lifting the pan from the eye of the stove, he walked over and slid the next pancake on to her plate. Putting the pan back, he wiped his hands with a towel. "Alright… I'm gonna go get Rory up."

"Ahh, using my kid to avoid my prodding. Nice move."

Before he opened Rory's door, Luke turned back to her with a grin. "I thought so."

* * *

"Morning Sookie," Lorelai called, walking into the kitchen as she headed for the coffee pot.

"Oh, hey!" Sookie answered as she looked up from the cutting board. "You're in early."

Seeing her come too close for comfort to her pointer finger with the knife, Lorelai gasped. "Sook! Fingers!"

"Oh right!" Looking back down, she continued to chop, narrowly missing her finger tip. "Why are you here so soon?"

"Ahhh, well, I didn't get much sleep last night. I was up early anyway, so I came in."

"Didn't get much sleep, huh," Sookie grinned, waggling her eyebrows.

With a laugh, Lorelai plopped down on the stool. "Sorry to bust your bubble, but it was nothing dirty. I just couldn't get comfortable."

"Darn… Your night was just as vanilla as mine was."

Smiling knowingly, Lorelai shook her head. "Oh, I wouldn't day vanilla. Something dirty did happen before bed, but Luke made me swear that I wouldn't tell anyone anything."

"Anyone except me," Sookie asked hopefully.

"Of course!"

Turning down the burner next to her and walking over, Sookie leaned over the table. "So, spill…"

Running her finger over the edge of the mug, Lorelai thought back on the night before. "Well, it was around 9:30. Rory was already in bed, and she's _usually_ asleep by that time, so we thought, 'What the hell, why not fool around on the couch.'"

"Because that's what every couple with a kid in the house thinks," Sookie added.

Shaking her head with a chuckle, Lorelai agreed. "You don't know how true that is… anyway, so I don't know if I've ever told you, but Luke is an _excellent_ maker outer."

"You may have said that once or twice."

"Well I've got to say it again, because he really is…" Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Lorelai leaned closer. "He was driving me _crazy_ ," she stressed, "And I may or may not have been a little loud…"

Her jaw dropping, Sookie stared wide eyed, knowing where the story was going. "Oh, no!"

"Oh yes… Apparently, my precious little girl, who normally can't be woken up by a freight train, heard me and thought something was wrong. So, she came in to the living room and got to see her Daddy Luke _all_ _over_ her mommy."

Covering her mouth, Sookie began to laugh. "Poor Rory!"

"I know! So she called my name, and Luke tried to move off of me so fast that he fell off the couch and whacked his head on the coffee table." Remembering the horrified look on Luke's face, she began to laugh along with her. "Thank God we were still pretty much fully clothed! My shirt was ¾ of the way off and Luke's flannel and hat were gone, but we were completely covered otherwise… Needless to say, it was an eventful night in the Gilmore household."

"I'll say." Sookie agreed, trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard. "That was definitely not vanilla."

Shaking her head, Lorelai agreed. "Definitely not… Now I just have to find a way to convince Luke that it's still okay to make out on the couch. He wouldn't even get near the thing when he got up! He went and sat over in the chair while I took Rory back to bed."

With a careless flick of her wrist, Sookie smiled. "Oh, please. You and I both know that Luke can't resist you. I'm sure you and your feminine wiles will convince him in no time.:

"Let's hope so…" Looking down at her watch, she noted the time. "Well, I guess I better go. I'm gonna check in on the maids and everything before I get to work."

"Alright. Come back and get me before you go to lunch, and we'll go together. I'll tell you all about my wild night with _Footloose_ and a tub of ice cream."

Laughing as she walked out, Lorelai smiled. "Sounds good. See ya later, Sookie."

Despite her intentions to get other work done, as soon as Lorelai stepped up to the desk, the phone rang. "Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking."

The answer she got was not what she expected. "Hello, Lorelai."

"Dad? Uh, I mean, hi dad," she stammered. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well. How are you?"

"I'm great… Just working as usual."

"And Rory and Luke? They're doing okay as well?"

"Yep…"

As she finished speaking, a slightly uncomfortable silence developed on the line. After waiting a few seconds, Lorelai spoke up again. "Uh, Dad… Did you call just to ask how everything was, or did you have a reason?"

"Oh, yes, of course…" Clearing his throat, Richard spoke plainly, "I was calling about your attendance at the Christmas party."

Cocking her head in confusion, even though he couldn't see her, Lorelai questioned, "Isn't the Christmas party normally two or three weeks before Christmas? I figured you would have already had it this year."

"Yes, however, this year your mother and I were forced to reschedule because of a non-negotiable business trip I was forced to take last week. Instead, we are having it on the 20th."

Looking down at the calendar in front of her, she saw the date was only four days away. "Ahhh… Gotcha."

"So, all of that being said," he continued, "I was hoping you and Rory and Luke would attend."

Sighing, Lorelai frowned. "Dad, I know we haven't seen you since Rory's party, but are you sure this is the best time to do it? You're great, but mom…"

"Lorelai," he interrupted, "We have left you alone for a little while, and we have not tried to push you into anything. We didn't even try to invite you to Thanksgiving here… As far as your mother goes, if you remember, she was quite cordial at Rory's party, so I believe that the least you could do is come to our Christmas party and do the same."

"I know…" Thinking on it for a second, she knew she had no plans that day, but she wasn't sure of Luke's. "Let me check with Luke to see if there is something on his schedule and I'll let you know."

"That's all I ask."

Resting her chin in her hand as she leaned on the desk, Lorelai's mind turned as she contemplated her next move. "Okay… I'll try to get back to you by the end of the day, but if not, I'll call you back in the morning. How does that sound?"

"It sounds wonderful. Thank you." He sighed relieved.

"You're welcome, Dad. Have a good day."

"Enjoy yours as well. Goodbye, Lorelai."

Putting the phone down and picking it back up again, Lorelai mindlessly dialed the number to the diner, lost in her own thoughts. Shaking her head to clear it, she bit her lip and glanced at the date on the calendar as Luke finally answered. "Hey babe," she spoke hesitantly. "It's me."

* * *

As she looked in the mirror to put her earrings in, Lorelai took in her outfit laying out on the bed behind her. "Are you sure my dress isn't too sexy," she asked Luke. "I was trying to save it for a date, but I didn't have time to go Hartford to find a different one for this party. And I've already told you what happens when I repeat a dress or wear something 'too casual'"

Slipping his suit jacket over his arms, Luke looked at the dress and then over at her with a slow smile. "That depends. Are you asking me if I think it's too sexy or if I think you mother will say it's too sexy."

Gazing over her shoulder at him, she rolled her eyes as her cheeks flushed. "My mother… I can tell what you think of it by that look you're giving me."

Walking over behind her, he snagged her with one arm by the waist, hauling her up against him. "I don't know why you ask me. There's nothing you could put on, or not put on, that wouldn't look sexy to me…" he spoke dangerously as he rand his hand up her bare rib cage.

A bright smile appeared on her face at his suddenly playful mood. "Luke," Lorelai laughed, her hands coming to rest on his to stop their movement. "Behave. We have to be on time tonight… Can you hand me my dress?"

Planting a kiss to her shoulder, Luke turned to grab the hanger and held up the simple, black, long sleeved dress next to her. "As long as I get to zip you up."

"You love the craziest things."

"You make me crazy," he retorted.

Shaking her head, Lorelai slipped on the dress, quickly turning her back to him. "Luke, what has gotten into you tonight," she laughed as his hands grazed her, missing her back and her zipper completely.

Finally and slowly zipping her up, he answered lowly, "We're about to go to your parents' house for two hours at the minimum where your mother will be watching me like a hawk. I'll have to keep my hands to myself which means I can't do this…" He turned her around and pulled her against him. "Or this," he whispered, bringing her lips to his in a sizzling kiss. "And this dress really makes me want to do that."

Smiling naughtily up at him, she slipped her hands under his jacket. "That's a shame. I really like it when you do that. We may have to find a closet or two to jump into every once in a while."

"I thought about it," he smiled back, as his hands dipped down below the small of her back. "But what would we do with Rory?"

"Oh, I'm sure my dad will take her to show her off every once in a while."

"Don't tempt me."

Feeling his hands slip under the skirt of her dress, she caught them, pulling them away and backing herself up. "Then don't tempt me…" she answered. Planting a quick kiss to his lips, she walked over to the closet and grabbed her strappy red heels.

Seeing her choice of footwear, he narrowed his eyes. "And you're afraid that the dress is too sexy."

"Oh, I know my mother will hate these, but it's worth it if I can torment you," Lorelai grinned naughtily.

"You're evil."

"Says the man who is wearing the sexiest, most well-fitting suit known to mankind. If we didn't have to leave soon, I'd ravish you here and now." Slipping her shoes on with practiced ease, she sauntered by him, her hips swaying teasingly. Reaching the door, she turned back to him and let her eyes trail his body. "Come on… We've got to get going."

Rolling his eyes, he grumbled, "Talk about torture…" and followed behind her.

* * *

"Alright… deep breaths," Lorelai said as they walked up to the door, breathing in a deep breath of her own. "There are apple tarts inside, so this night will at least be a little bit good."

"Are you ever actually going to ring the doorbell?" Luke questioned.

"I don't really know if I want to."

"Fine." Looking down at Rory, Luke smiled. "How about you, kid? You wanna ring the bell since your mom is too much of a chicken?"

"Yeah! It's my turn to push it any way. Mommy got to push it last time," Rory informed them with a grin as she reached up and pushed the button.

As the maid opened the door, Lorelai looked back at Luke with a glare.

"Hello, may I take your coats?" The maid spoke softly, holding out her arm.

"Yes, of course."

No sooner than the coats were off was Emily at the door with them.

Forcing a smile, Lorelai greeted, "Hi, mom."

"Hello, Lorelai. Rory." Looking Luke over, she greeted him evenly. "Hello, Luke."

"Good evening, Mrs. Gilmore." He answered back in the same tone.

"Lorelai, your father has not arrived back from the airport yet, but he is supposed to be here soon. In the meantime, I expect you to circulate and not just stand in a corner."

Holding back an eyeroll, she agreed. "Yes, mom."

Looking down at Rory, Emily smiled. "Rory, there are some fresh apple tarts that are about to be served. Would you like to come with me and get one," she questioned as she extended her hand.

Looking at her grandmother's hand warily, Rory turned her gaze up to Lorelai. "Mommy, can I?"

"Uh, if you want to…"

"Okay." Reaching out, she took Emily's hand and they walked towards the kitchen.

As soon as they were far enough way, Lorelai turned to Luke with a frown. "That's probably the last time we'll see her for the next hour." Taking in the crowd, unsurprisingly filled with some familiar faces she'd rather not see, Lorelai sighed, "Well, I guess we should get moving and have some meaningless conversations with people who don't remember anything about me except for my pregnancy."

"Those closets we could sneak into sound really good right about now…"

Taking his hand in hers and squeezing it, she shook her head. "Tell me about it… Are you ready for this?"

"Ready as a I can be." Seeing a server pass by with a tray of champagne, Luke grabbed two, despite his usual hatred for the drink. "Actually," he spoke, handing her hers and taking a quick drink, "Now I'm ready."

With a smile, Lorelai did the same. "Me too… Let's go."

* * *

"Lorelai, have you seen your father?"

Finishing chewing the apple tart she had just taken a bite of, Lorelai quickly dabbed at her mouth and handed her plate over to Luke. "Uh, no, mom. Is he not here yet?"

Looking down at the watch she was wearing, Emily shook her head. "He was supposed to be, but haven't seen him yet, and I've looked around everywhere."

"Well, I'll keep an eye out for him and send him your way if I see him." Looking past her, Lorelai saw the maid approaching. "Uh, mom… I think the maid wants you."

Turning around to see her, Emily frowned. "Yes Sandra? Do you need something?"

"You have a phone call, Mrs. Gilmore."

"In the middle of a party? Do you not realize that taking a phone call right now would be rude?"

The young girl cowered slightly. "I tried to take a message, but it's about Mr. Gilmore, so I assumed you'd want to know right away?"

Emily's eyes grew wide as she tensed. "Mr. Gilmore?" Taking the phone away from her, she quickly brought it to her ear. "Hello? This is Emily Gilmore…. Richard!"

Hearing the desperation and fear in her mother's voice, Lorelai froze. "Mom, what is it?"

Not acknowledging Lorelai's question, Emily spoke hysterically into the phone. "Is he okay?... What do you mean you can't tell me anything in detail? He's my husband!... Well can you give me any information at all, or are you too ignorant to say anything?... Fine! I'll be there soon, and you better have information for me when I get there!"

Her heart racing and, Lorelai immediately questioned as her mother hung up the phone, "Mom, what happened?!"

Placing her hand over her heart, Emily began speaking frantically. "Your father was in an accident on the way back from the airport. They have him at the hospital, but the nurse wouldn't tell me anything because she said she was not allowed to over the phone! I have to get down there!" Not even noting their reactions, she continued to speak quickly. "What am I supposed to do about all of this? I have guests and servers and chefs to take care of, but Richard is in the hospital!"

"Mom," Lorelai placed her hands on her mother's shoulders to stop her. "You need to go to the hospital with dad. I'll finish here."

"You would do that?"

"Yes! Of course I will! You need to get to the hospital to see what's going on with dad." Forcing her to, they started walking over to the closet to get her jacket. As Emily grabbed her bag, Lorelai stopped suddenly. "Mom, I don't know if you're in the right state to be driving. Heaven knows I'm freaked out, and he's not my husband."

"Well what else do you suppose I do, Lorelai? It will take too long to call a car."

"Luke can drive you, right?" Lorelai turned to look back at Luke with pleading eyes as he followed along behind them, holding Rory's hand and bringing her along with him.

Still trying to take in all the information he was hearing, Luke nodded slowly. "Yeah, I can do that."

"See, Luke will take you." Reaching down, Lorelai picked Rory up, and handed the jeep keys from her pocket to Luke. "Mom, you go take care of dad, and I'll take care of this. Call the maid when you find something out, and I'll come up to the hospital with whatever you need when everything is cleaned up."

The normally uptight Emily disappeared for a moment as Lorelai saw the fear growing in her mother's eyes. "Thank you, Lorelai."

"You're welcome. Now, go."

As Emily rushed Luke out the door, Lorelai looked down at Rory to see her staring at her with wary eyes. "Is grandpa okay?"

In her mind, Lorelai was wanting to panic, but she knew it would only make Rory scared, so she kept her emotions in check. "Grandpa's okay, hon. He just had to go to the hospital. You don't worry about it."

Lorelai took a deep breath. _"It's been a while since I've done this, but here goes nothing."_ "Alright, Rory. Are you ready to watch Mommy act like Grandma?"

* * *

Grabbing her mother's stuff and a half-asleep Rory quickly out of the Jeep, Lorelai rushed in the hospital and found Luke in the waiting room as Emily berated the nurse at the station. Going straight over to him, Lorelai sat down the bag in the chair next to Luke. "So, he's okay?"

Taking in her frantic demeanor, despite the reassuring call they had shared a few minutes earlier, Luke reached over and took one of her hands. "He's fine. He has a broken collarbone, a few torn tendons in his hand, and a concussion, but he's alive. They are going to put him in a room soon, and you guys can see him."

With a sigh, she released the breath she had been holding the whole way there and spoke a shaky, "Okay… good. That's good."

As she tried to rein her anxiety, Lorelai finally took a good look at Luke and noticed the grimace on his face. Plopping down on the other side of him, she looked at him uneasily. "Are you okay?"

"Um." He swallowed thickly as another patient wheeled by. "Yeah, I'm just not big on hospitals… You know, the smell, people being wheeled by with tubes sticking out of them, you know drainage, fluids, gaping holes" Looking down at his feet, he spoke quieter. "I was here a lot with dad."

Releasing a sigh filled with sympathy, Lorelai frowned. "Oh, Luke, I didn't even think about that… I'm so sorry. I should have driven mom and you could have taken Rory home."

Shaking his head, Luke answered, "No… It's fine. I want to be here now. I would have come here anyway."

Wearing a small smile, she squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

"No problem."

Standing up, he shoved his hands in his pocket. "Um, I think I'm gonna run to the restroom though. I didn't want to leave your mom alone, but now that you're here…"

Nodding, she flicked her hand in the direction of the hall. "It's okay… Go get away from all the madness for a minute."

Just as Luke walked away, Emily came into the room. "Oh, Lorelai," she spoke, surprise evident in her voice. "You're here."

"Yeah, I'm here. What's going on?"

"Well, aside from what I'm sure Luke has already told you, that's what I am trying to find out. But, the woman at the desk keeps pestering me with idiotic questions like 'What's the number of my insurance policy?' and 'How long have he had it?'. Then, she handed me this stack of papers to fill out, as if that answered my question."

"Well, they just need to get the information. Just fill out the paper, and maybe that will help you pass the time until we know more." Sitting across from her, Lorelai watched as her mother's hand shook as she tried to write. Seeing her stress out, she felt the need to do something to help. As she looked around, she realized that she held the answer in her lap. "Hey, mom… I've got to run to the restroom really quick. Do you want to hold Rory for me for a minute?"

Not looking up, Emily spoke plainly. "Lorelai, I'm supposed to be filling out these papers."

"I know, but Rory's almost asleep and I don't want to mess her up by taking her to the bathroom."

As she stopped writing, Emily looked up at Lorelai in slight surprise. "You really want me to watch her?"

"Yes… You're her grandmother after all... but I can take her with me if you want."

"No, no, that's fine." Sitting the clipboard down, Emily held out her arms as Lorelai transferred Rory over to her lap.

Wiping her eyes tiredly, Rory looked up. "Can I put my head on your shoulder, Grandma?"

"Of course you can, Rory."

Much to Lorelai's surprise, Emily began trailing her hand up and down Rory's back in soothing motions. Seeing her mother slightly relaxed, finally, she walked out the same way Luke had gone just a few minutes before. Reaching the restroom, she stopped outside, perching against the wall. The fear that overtook her when her mother got the phone call finally registered with her. As a tear escaped the corner of her eye, she watched anxiously for Luke to come out, knowing he would be the comfort she needed.

When the door finally opened and Luke stepped out, Lorelai grabbed him by the arm, pulling him further down the hall and into a more secluded corner.

"Uh, okay." He muttered as she pulled him.

"Rory's with mom. I figured she would help her calm down… I just need a second." She frowned, immediately wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning against him.

Feeling her grip grow tighter, he could tell that the reality of the situation was finally hitting. "You've been so calm so far… You've been great, and I know your mom appreciates it." He spoke softly. "He's going to be fine."

"Yeah, yeah," Lorelai agreed as she nuzzled into his neck. "They're probably going to keep him over night, but- but he's going to be fine," she answered, crying softly.

"Hey," Luke frowned, wrapping his arms around her. "It's alright."

Sniffling, she pulled back and wiped her eyes. "Luke, I feel like this is one of those moments when I should be remembering all the great times I had with my dad, you know. The time he took me shopping or to the circus or fishing, and my mind is completely blank."

"Well, I'm sure it happened."

"No it didn't," she countered, shaking her head adamantly. "I've told you that. We never did any of that. He went to work, he came home, he read the paper, he went to bed. I snuck out the window. Simple… He worked hard. He bought a nice house. He provided for my mom. All he asked in return was for his daughter to wear white dresses and go to cotillion and want the same life that he had. What a disappointment it must have been for him to get me."

"Hey, no. Don't do that," Luke spoke sternly. "You can be sad, but I will not let you start talking like you are the most horrible daughter to walk the planet."

"Well, what do you expect me to say? I wasn't a good one. I'm not a good one…I should have called them after Rory's birthday. I should have tried to call them for Thanksgiving. I should have invited them to the diner or something."

Shaking his head, Luke planted his hands on her cheeks, forcing her to look at him. "You're not bad. You're perfect the way you are." Planting his lips softly to hers, he pulled back and ran his thumb across her cheek, drying the remaining tears. "You guys just don't understand each other sometimes. You've got to remember that they didn't call you either. Phones work both ways, so you can't take all the blame."

"Are you seriously getting on to me for being mad at myself?" Lorelai questioned, her brows knitting together.

"You bet… Because if anyone else was saying stuff like this to you, I would beat their ass."

Laughing shortly, she smiled and leaned her forehead against his. "I love you."

"I love you too… Everything is going to be okay." After she brought her lips to his and pulled back, Luke smiled. "Is there anything else I can do?"

Thinking for a moment, Lorelai loosened her grip on him and took a step back. "I know you want to be here, and I want you here, but do you think you could take Rory home? She's pretty tired, and I don't really want her to be around this stuff too much anyway."

"Yeah, sure… What about you?"

Taking a hold of his tie, she looked down shyly as she straightened it out. "I think I'm gonna stick around here for a while and make sure everything's settled, you know? Dad might need something…"

"And your mom might too," Luke added with a knowing look.

"Yeah…"

"Okay then, let's go." Taking a hold of her waist, he pulled her along with him. "I'll come back with Rory in the morning. Caesar was scheduled to open anyway."

Leaning up, Lorelai kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks."

* * *

As Luke, carrying Rory, walked out. Lorelai sat down in the chair next to her mother.

Taking her eyes from Luke's retreating form to Lorelai, Emily questioned, "Where's he going with her?"

"I'm sending them home. They'll be back in the morning."

Opening her mouth to respond, Emily was cut off by Lorelai's outward facing palm. "If you're going to make a comment about my parenting or Rory's safety, I don't want to hear it. I trust him, and you should too."

Closing her mouth, Emily thought for a moment before speaking. "And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"What are you going to do?"

Shrugging carelessly as she dug through her purse, Lorelai answered, "I thought I'd stick around in case anybody needed anything."

Looking at her with slight disbelief, Emily tilted her head. "Really?"

"I-I mean, not you," Lorelai recovered with a stammer. "You obviously don't need anything, but somebody somewhere in this hospital might at some point need something, and I'm gonna be the person that gets it for them." She answered.

"Alright," her mother agreed, though she saw right through her façade.

Pulling out a pack of cookies from her bag, Lorelai questioned, "Do you want one?"

"No thank you," Emily answered, pursing her lips.

As Lorelai munched along, a silence developed between them. The mindless beeping of machines and talking nurses filling the void.

"That was a nice party you threw tonight, mom," Lorelai spoke up awkwardly.

"Lorelai, you don't have to make small talk with me."

"It's either that or sit in silence."

Shaking her head, Emily answered plainly. "Sometimes silence is good for the mind. It gives you time to think…"

With an eye roll, Lorelai sighed. "Fine. I get it… We won't talk."

Crossing her arms in front of her, Emily turned towards her daughter. "I don't see why you'd want to. If all goes as usual, we'll take part in a useless conversation about the party, then you'll have nothing else to say and start talking about the weather. Once we get through the weather, there's nothing left to say, and we're left back in silence. Whether we talk now or we don't, we're still going to end up in silence."

Dropping her hands heavily on her lap in frustration, Lorelai decided to reach down and pull a magazine out of her purse as well. "Well, then if you think a conversation about the weather is useless, then why don't you ever come up with a better topic? Conversations are a two-way street." She retorted as she recalled Luke's words from earlier.

With her mother not responding, Lorelai took that as a dismissal and began to read her magazine. Just before she got deep into the horoscope section, Emily spoke up. "How was your Thanksgiving?"

Out of all the topics she expected her mother to choose, this was not one of them. "Uh…" she stuttered, "It was good. Rory and I spent it at the diner with Luke and some people of the town."

Her brows bumping together in a frown, Emily spoke disapprovingly, "You spent Thanksgiving in a diner? Where are you going to spend Christmas, a truck stop?"

Shaking her head with an eye roll, Lorelai took her eyes back to her magazine page. "See, this is why we don't talk. You ask a question about my life, I give you a genuine answer, and you just have to criticize."

"And you don't? What if I mentioned that I just finished organizing an event for the DAR? What would you say to that?"

Sighing, Lorelai merely turned the page.

"See, that's what I thought. You would have some sort of smart-aleck remark."

Before Lorelai could answer, they were approached by another nurse from the station. "Excuse me, Mrs. Gilmore? I just wanted to let you know that your husband has been moved into room 2140, and you may go in and see him now."

Standing up immediately, Emily questioned, "Which direction do I need to go from here?"

"Take the second right off of this hall, and it will be three rooms down on your left."

"Thank you."

As she began to walk and follow the nurse's direction, a few steps in, she noticed Lorelai wasn't following. Turning to her with a frown, Emily questioned, "Are you coming with me, Lorelai? Or are you just going to sit there and admire the floor?"

Looking up slowly, she nodded. "Yeah… I'll be there in a minute."

With a curious look, Emily shook her head, leaving Lorelai behind.

As Lorelai tried to gather the courage to stand, Luke's words rang through her mind. _"He's fine. He has a broken collarbone, a few torn tendons in his hand, and a concussion, but he's alive."_ Standing up slowly, she walked down the hall, soon arriving outside of her father's door. Before she could reach the handle, the door was opened, and Emily tried to walk out.

"Ah, Lorelai! You almost ran into me."

"Well, it's a good thing we're in a hospital," she joked lamely in response.

"Are you going in?"

Lorelai didn't answer, and simply nodded.

"Alright, well, the pillows are completely unacceptable. I'm gonna see if I can find him some down ones and some slippers. I'll be right back."

As her mother walked away, Lorelai peeked into the room hesitantly to see her father laying with his eyes closed. Coming in slowly, she leaned back against the wall, observing his battered form. His face was slightly bruised, a sling was draped over his shoulder, and his hand was bandaged up to the elbow, completely immobilized.

She continued to stare at Richard, who after a few minutes, opened his eyes. They looked at each other for a moment before Lorelai gave him a shaky smile, to which he responded with one of his own. "You went to the party?" He questioned her groggily.

Nodding, she held back the tears that threatened again. "Yeah, I did."

"How did it go?"

"I have to say, I've definitely been to better parties… Most of them don't include getting calls from the ER."

Chuckling weakly, Richard answered. "Well, I can honestly say it wasn't in my plans to have that happen."

Once again taking in his weakened form, Lorelai bit her lip and hung her head. Looking up hesitantly, she spoke quietly, "I'm sorry, Daddy."

Even though he was on heavy medication, her tone even registered with Richard, and it was clear that she wasn't only expressing her sorrow over his accident. Shaking his head, he held out his hand.

Walking over, Lorelai took it hesitantly.

Squeezing it gently, Richard whispered, "It's okay, Lorelai… It will all be okay."

* * *

 **A/N: Happy Valentine's Day!**

 **Two weeks! It's been two weeks since I last updated, and I hate it... Sorry, guys. Writers block sucks, and I'm having a trouble getting around it. I'm not sure if I am completely satisfied with this chapter, but I hope you guys are! Once again, I am SUPER sorry about the delay, and if y'all have any tips or tricks for writers block or story ideas, let me know! I know where I want this story to go, but I am currently having a hard time getting there...**


	34. Chapter 34: Everything's Okay

**CHAPTER 34: Everything's Okay**

Meanwhile, on the way back to Stars Hollow, Luke twisted and turned through the streets of the town. Looking through the rearview mirror, he was surprised to see a wide-awake Rory staring out the window. "You okay back there, Rory?"

Not tearing her gaze away from the sky, she nodded.

"Are you gonna be okay with just me for the night?"

This time, Luke saw her nod again, but also noticed a little hesitance in her movement. Gazing quickly at the clock, he saw the 9:00 time and contemplated what to do next. "You know what? It's been a crazy night… Let's go get some pie."

As they pulled behind the already closed diner, Luke got out Rory out of her seat and carried her in, putting her down at the table. Grabbing some leftover pie from the fridge, he warmed it up quickly and placed a scoop of ice cream on top. Placing it down in front of her, he saw her looking at him with wide eyes. "But it's past bed time," she spoke surprised.

With a grin, he took the fork from his hand and laid it on her plate. "I know it's past your bed time, and you probably don't need sugar this late, but I don't think Mommy will mind, so have at it, kid."

She didn't need to be told twice. Quickly grabbing the fork, Rory cut a chunk off of the piece. Just before it entered her mouth, she stopped and smiled. "Thank you, Daddy Luke."

"You're welcome, Princess."

Taking the bite off of the fork, she looked at him curiously. "Where's your pie?"

Shaking his head, Luke crossed his arms in front of him and leaned back against the back of his chair. "I don't want any pie. This is for you."

With a frown, Rory answered, "But you always eat pie with Mommy."

As he had seen it many times before, Luke saw the beginning of a pout form on her lips. Trying to stop the corner of his lips from twitching upward at the sight, he responded reasonably. "I know, but that's the only piece of apple left, and I know that's your favorite, so you eat it."

For a moment, Rory stared at the bare spot in front of Luke where she thought his plate should be. Making up her mind quickly, she grabbed her fork again, cut off a piece, and held it out. "Here, we can share."

Shaking his head while wearing the smile he could no longer hold back, he grabbed the fork and took the small bite. "Thank you, Rory."

They sat in silence, Rory eating and hanging a bite to Luke every once in a while, like Lorelai did every time she at pie. Finally, out of nowhere, Rory asked the question on her little mind. "Daddy Luke, is Grandpa gonna be okay?"

"He will be." Grabbing a napkin from the container, he handed one to her so she would wipe her face. "It's just going to take a little bit for him to get better."

"How?"

"How what?" Luke looked at her curiously.

"How will he be okay?"

Sighing, he thought for a minute on how to best explain to a 6 year old. "Rory, do you remember when you had the chicken pox."

With a mouth full of pie, all she could do was nod.

"And do you remember how you only got better because Mommy and I took care of you and you got a lot of rest?"

"Yeah," she acknowledged, handing the fork over to him for a bite.

"That's what is going to happen with your grandpa. Your grandma is going to take good care of him, and he will get better, just like you did."

Cocking her head to the side, Rory questioned him curiously. "What about Grandma Katherine and Grandpa Will?"

Almost choking on the bite he was swallowing, Luke took a second to cough before looking at Rory with raised eyebrows. "Grandma Katherine and Grandpa Will?"

"Yeah… your mommy and daddy. You said they were in the hospital too, and they never came home."

Dropping the fork to the table, Luke sighed quietly. "That was different, Rory." Knowing she was you and wouldn't really understand, he called her over. "Come here a second."

Hopping down from the chair, she scurried to his side where he pulled her in is lap.

"Rory, my mom and dad were a lot different from your Grandpa. They were both very sick, and their bodies wouldn't work anymore."

Frowning, Rory cocked her head. "What about mommy? She had a tummy ache yesterday. Does that mean her body won't work anymore too?"

Knowing where her mind was going, he quickly reassured her. "No, Rory. That's different too. There are different ways people get sick. When you, me, Mommy, your grandpa, or even your grandma gets sick, we can get better. My parents had a sickness where they stayed sick and their bodies wouldn't let them get better."

"So no one is sick?"

Pushing a hair that had fallen in front of her eyes back from her face, Luke shook his head. "Yes. No one is sick. I don't have it. You don't have it. Your mommy doesn't have it. No one you know has it. Don't worry."

"Are you sure?"

Before he could respond, she raised her pinky in front of his eyes. Linking their fingers, he nodded, "I'm sure, Rory. Everyone is going to be just fine."

Accepting his answer, she planted a kiss to his cheek and hopped down from his lap, going back to her chair. Before bringing another bite to her mouth, Rory questioned, "Can we take some pie to Mommy tomorrow? She'll be sad she missed pie time."

"Sure." He agreed easily, sharing the same thought, "I'm sure she'd love that."

"What about grandma and grandpa?"

"Do you want them to have some?"

Nodding, she smiled.

"Alright then. We'll get some for them in the morning."

As Rory finished off her plate and he loaded her back into the truck, Luke's mind whirled. _"Was it okay for me to talk about sickness and death with her? Should I have waited until Lorelai was around so she could answer?"_ Shaking his head, he sighed, deciding to save those thoughts until the morning when he could ask her in person.

* * *

Remembering the room number Lorelai had given him when they talked earlier that morning, Luke, with Rory skipping along beside him, walked into the hospital the next day. Finding their way to the room, he found Lorelai standing outside leaning against the wall. "Hey, everything okay?" he asked as they walked up.

Jumping suddenly, Lorelai placed a hand over her heart. "Oh, hey. You scared me." Leaning up, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Yeah, the doctor is in there with Mom and Dad, and I just wanted to give them some room." Looking down at Rory, who was holding a Luke's bag, Lorelai smiled. "Hey, sweets. Whatcha got there?"

"We brought pie for you and Grandpa and Grandma!" She exclaimed, holding up the bag.

"What? Pie? Yummy! I can't wait to eat it!... Did you sleep well last night?"

"Mhm!" Rory hummed, "Daddy Luke made a fort in the living room!"

Eyeing Luke with a grin, Lorelai answered, "He did, huh? That sounds like fun."

"Yeah, but he didn't sleep in it because he said it would hurt his back… But we watched a movie in it, and he slept on the couch while I slept in the fort!"

"Wow! And you did all of this without me? I am so jealous." Picking up her daughter, she gave her a big hug and a loud kiss on her cheek. "I missed you last night, kid."

"I missed you too, Mommy."

Hearing the door open and seeing the doctor walk by, Lorelai sat Rory back down on the ground and placed a hand on her shoulder. "So, sweets, that was the doctor that just left. Did you want to go see grandpa?"

Gasping with a nod, Rory exclaimed, "Yeah!"

"Okay…. Now, he doesn't look too good, but I promise you that he's okay." Grabbing her empty hand, they started to walk into the room with Luke following. "I think he's going to be really excited to see you."

In the room, Richard's bed sat in the center, and Emily sat in a chair near his side. To no one's surprise, as soon as Richard caught a glimpse of Rory, he perked up a bit. "Well, if it isn't my favorite granddaughter?" he said with a smile.

"Hi Grandpa! I brought you and grandma and mommy pie!" Rory waved. Looking at the sling on his shoulder, she frowned. "You've got a big booboo."

Casting his eyes down to his arm, Richard smirked. "Why, yes. I guess I do."

"I'm happy you are okay!" she answered, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "You missed apple tarts! They were super yummy!"

"I guess I'll have to get your grandmother to make some later," he chuckled. Seeing Luke follow them in, Richard lifted his good hand in a slight gesture. "Hello, Luke."

"Hello, Mr. Gilmore. It's good to see that you are alright." Luke acknowledged as Rory walked over to the older mans bedside, sitting the bag of goodies on the table that sat beside Emily.

"Hi grandma," she spoke shyly.

"Hello, Rory." Noting the book that stuck out of the bookbag on her back, Emily continued, "I see you brought a story with you."

Nodding, Rory took off her backpack that was packed full of things to keep her entertained. "Mrs. Campbell gave it to me to read while we don't have school. It's called Mr. Popper's Penguins."

"Penguins, huh?" Richard questioned. "I'd like to hear about those."

Looking at him with hopeful eyes, Rory asked, "Do you want to read with me?"

"I have a better idea." Patting the small spot on the bed next to him, he smiled, "Why don't you climb up here and read it, and I'll listen."

"I'm not so sure that is a good idea, Richard," Emily spoke up, eyeing the spot warily.

"And why not," he challenged.

"She'll get tangled up in a cord or lean too hard on one of your injuries."

Without second thought, he shifted himself over slightly as well as he could to make a little more room, and answered, "Then I will simply put her on my good side, and if she gets tangled, I will untangle her."

Getting a nod of approval from Lorelai, Rory climbed up very carefully into place between Richard and the bed rail. Opening her book to the first page, she cleared her throat and began reading.

As Rory spoke the words carefully, Lorelai smiled at the scene. After a few moments, nudging Luke softly with her elbow to gain his attention, she leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Come on."

Without giving him time to respond, she turned and walked out of the room. Not knowing what else to do, he followed her out.

"Are you alright?" Luke questioned as soon as they got out into the hall.

Taking his hand in hers, she brought it between them, toying with his fingers. "Yeah, I just figured we could talk while Rory read to them… Was everything really okay last night?"

"Yeah… I could tell she was a little down, but I think she did alright."

Growing silent, Lorelai took a second before a smile grew slowly on her lips. "So pie and a fort, huh?"

Nodding, Luke looked down sheepishly. "Uh, yeah. It was a crazy night, so I thought she might like it."

"Well, thanks… It sounds like she definitely did."

"It was no problem… And after our conversation, I thought it would be fun for her."

"Conversation?"

Realizing what he said, Luke shuffled nervously for a second. "Oh, yeah…"

Seeing his nervousness, Lorelai frowned. "Uh, Luke, what conversation?"

Looking around for a second, his eyes fell on some chairs a few feet away, and he flicked his head towards them. "Let's sit a second."

"Okay…" she answered carefully. As she sat down, she turned to face him with a curious look. "What did you guys talk about?"

"That's something that I wanted to discuss with you." As he explained the conversation he had with Rory to her, a myriad of emotions flicked across her face, leaving him at a loss. "Uh, so, yeah…. We talked about some heavy stuff for a 6-year-old. Normally, I would let you talk to her about that kind of stuff, but you weren't there, and I didn't want her to worry."

Nodding as she still held his hand, she traced small circles on the back as she processed. "You know… I figured she would be curious about the whole situation, but I wasn't sure whether she'd ask you or wait to ask me."

"I figured too, but I was hoping that she'd wait to tell you. Not that I was afraid or didn't know what to say to her, but I'm not her parent… I mean, I am, kind of, some of the time, but not really, so I didn't know if it was my place to talk with her, you know?"

"You know what I know? You ramble too much," Lorelai smirked at him. Bringing her legs up into the chair, she tucked them under her and turned her whole body to face him. "Okay. So let me see if I caught this right. She was worried about my dad being in the hospital because she heard about your parents being in the hospital and then dying? And you talked to her about it in a _very_ kid friendly way and made her feel better about not only my dad, but the rest of us too?" She asked him with a slightly furrowed brow., "And you were afraid I'd be upset that you talked to her instead of me?"

Shaking his head, Luke shrugged his shoulders. "Well, yeah. You're her mom."

"And you're her Daddy Luke." Releasing a small laugh, she smiled and leaned over to place a quick kiss on his lips. "Luke, if I wasn't the one to talk to her about this, then I'm glad you were the one to do it. You are always my first pic, you know that. I trust you one-hundred percent with her."

"So you're okay with it? I didn't over step my bounds?"

"No… If anything, I am glad that you were the one to do it. Heaven knows that I wasn't in the best state of mind last night."

Releasing the breath he didn't realize he was holding, Luke smiled. "Okay, good."

Looking at him seriously, Lorelai continued, "And for the record, if there is any other question Rory asks you, use your discretion, but I would say that 99% of the time, you can answer it… The only thing might be _the question_ ," she stressed. "I figure that I need to take that one."

"The question?"

"Yeah, the question…. As in the 'Mommy, where do babies come from?' question," she imitated with a high pitched voice. "I assume that a sex talk with Rory is not something that you want to have."

Groaning, Luke put his face in his hands. "Aw jeez, she's only six. She doesn't even need to think about that stuff."

Laughing at the blush that appeared on his cheeks, Lorelai grinned. "It's so funny how you squirm at the mention of the word, but you're so good at it."

Rolling his eyes, Luke frowned. "Yeah, well, doing it and talking about it are two different things. Forgive me if discussing it with a child, especially Rory, is not something that I want to do."

"Well you are gonna have to do it sometime," she shrugged nonchalantly.

"With who? Jess? I wouldn't be surprised if Liz already took care of that."

"Well probably not Rory or Jess, but maybe someone else in the future," she faltered off, shifting in her seat.

"Someone else? Who e-" Confused for a moment, Luke quickly caught her drift. "Oh, that someone else."

"Yeah… you still want a _someone else_ or two, right? Or have you changed your mind?" she questioned hesitantly, looking anywhere but his eyes.

Shaking his head, Luke reached out and turned her face towards his. "I haven't changed my mind. I just didn't know what you meant at first… If someone else comes along and I need to have _that talk_ , then I will." He reassured her.

"Good, just checking." She smiled with a toothy grin that he quickly reciprocated.

If anyone had walked by, they would have thought that they were idiots by the way they were looking at each other. Remembering where they were, Luke pulled his gaze form hers and looked around aimlessly. "So… uh… I had a bag of stuff for you out in the car, but I guess you don't need it now." He gestured to her casual outfit. "Where did you get that stuff anyway."

"I had it in the back of the Jeep from when I was going to change at Sookie's after work and go to the mall with her a few weeks ago. We didn't end up going, and I never got the bag out of the car. I just stuffed it in the bag that I brought in for mom last night." Thinking back on the moment when she decided to change last night, she laughed. "You should have seen the face mom made last night when she pulled my Bangles t shirt out of her bag. She probably hasn't seen that name since I was in high school and I wore a Bangles shirt to piss her off."

"I can imagine," Luke laughed. "If you want, I can still get the other stuff for you though… It might make your mom less aggravated."

"I don't think there's anything that can do that," Lorelai rolled her eyes. "I think I'll be okay, though. They are probably going to discharge Dad later this afternoon, so after Rory gets done visiting for a bit, I think that I'll come home with you guys."

* * *

After finishing chapter 2 of the book, Luke, Lorelai, and Rory left the hospital. When the trio arrived back home, Rory dashed inside the house, immediately dropping her bag in the foyer and crawling into the fort that was still set up in the living room.

Following behind her, Lorelai smiled and ran her finger over the light grey sheet roof of the fort. "Very nice craftsmanship, Mr. Danes. I think you found your calling," she smiled.

Rolling his eyes as he sat down the keys on the desk, Luke smirked. "I'll try to remember that if the diner goes down-hill."

"Although, you better not let word get out that you are thinking about starting a fort business. Kirk might try to beat you to it."

"Because that would be a travesty." Looking at Lorelai, he noticed the contemplative look on her face and grinned. "Lorelai?"

Quickly looking back up, she cocked her head. "Huh?"

"You want to get in it too, don't you?"

Shrugging her shoulders as her face reddened, Lorelai spoke casually. "If it fit you and Rory last night, it should fit me too, right?"

Chuckling, Luke jerked his chin at the structure. "Go ahead. I'll call you two when dinner is ready."

Smiling widely, Lorelai got down on her hands and knees to crawl in, before she lifted the cover, she looked over her shoulder at him. "Have I told you lately that you're the best boyfriend ever?"

"In the last 24 hours," he questioned with a smug look, "No."

"Well, you are…" And with that, she disappeared behind the sheet.

Before he could even reach the kitchen, he heard a fit of giggles break out, bringing a smile to his face.

Inside, Lorelai laid back on a mound of pillows as Rory scribbled carefully on her Christmas coloring book.

"Nice present you're coloring there, Rory. I love the purple wrapping paper."

Not looking up, Rory traced the outline of the present's bow. "I'm coloring it purple for you. It's your present."

Gasping playfully, Lorelai exclaimed, "My present? I get my own present in your picture?"

"Yeah!" Finally looking up, Rory held up an indigo and an orange crayon. "What color should I color Daddy Luke's?"

Pointing, Lorelai gestured to the indigo. "Go with that one. He likes blue a lot."

"Oh yeah!" Carefully placing the orange back in the box, she continued coloring.

Looking over at the picture, Lorelai pointed to the other presents that were there. "And whose are those?"

"The pink one is mine, the red one is grandma's, and the yellow one is grandpa's"

"One for everyone, huh?" she questioned, watching as Rory carefully filled in Luke' present.

"Everyone except Mia. I have to draw hers because there aren't enough."

Waiting a minute before she spoke again, Rory questioned, "Mommy, are we going to see grandpa again tomorrow?"

"Probably not, hon. He's leaving the hospital today and going home, so I think we are going to give him time to settle in."

Sitting up quickly, Rory looked at her mother curiously. "What about for Christmas?"

"Not for Christmas wither. Grandpa is going to need his rest for a little while, so I think we are going to wait until he is doing better to go see him."

Not happy with her response, Rory frowned sadly. "Okay."

Seeing her reaction Lorelai sighed. "I know you've missed your grandpa, and it's been a while since you've spent some time with him, but I promise you'll get to see him again soon. Once the holidays are over and he heals up, we'll find a way to visit… and maybe if Santa brings you some books for Christmas, you can save some of them to read to Grandpa."

At the sound of the word book, Rory perked up again. "Do you think Santa is going to bring me books?"

"Did you ask for books in your letter?" Lorelai questioned, though she already knew the answer.

Nodding, Rory looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"I bet he will then." She reassured her. "If he brings you more than one, then you can read some right away and then save the others for Grandpa."

"Okay!"

Seeing that Rory was satisfied with that answer, Lorelai smiled and sat up. "Alright… I'll be back in a minute. I'm going to go see if I can sneak some cookies out of the kitchen without Daddy Luke knowing. If he catches me, will you come in there and use the Rory eyes on him?"

Giggling, Rory nodded and turned back to her picture to continue coloring.

"Thanks, kid. You're the best."

* * *

After tucking Rory in that night, Luke check all the doors as Lorelai grabbed their pillows from the pile on the couch that had earlier filled the fort.

"I am so tired, I could probably fall asleep and not wake up until next week." She sighed, lacing her fingers through his as they climbed the stairs.

As they reached the room, Luke sat down on the bed, pulling her into his lap as she tossed the pillows down behind him. "Makes sense. We've had an eventful 24 hours."

"You can say that again." Feeling his hand slip under the hem of her top, she smiled as he ran his hand up and down her back.

"It's too bad we had to take down the fort. I think Rory really loved it."

"She did… But she also needed some pillows and blankets to sleep with."

"It was a nice touch to use Santa as leverage, by the way. I don't think I've ever seen her clean something that fast."

"Well the fact that Santa can't bring presents if there's a fort in the way is a big issue for any kid… but especially Rory. She doesn't want Santa to hurt himself." Sighing, she leaned her forehead to rest against his. "I'm so glad Dad didn't have to stay another night. Is it bad that I missed sharing a bed with you, and it was only for one night?"

"I missed you too."

The barely reclining hospital chair I was given last night was awful."

"Those chairs are definitely not good for the neck." Reaching up higher, he brought his hand up to rub the back of her neck. "You know… We talked about mine and Rory's night… how did everything go after I left?"

Biting her lip, she thought about everything that happened. "Ummm… Everything went pretty well, I guess. Dad was a little out of it last night… It was what happened before you came this morning that was more… _interesting_."

The way she said the word struck him. "Interesting?"

"Well…"

* * *

 _Earlier that Morning_

 _Walking in the door at 8 am, just as she had done for every hour throughout the night, the nurse, who everyone called Jenny, shut the door loudly behind her, waking Lorelai from her sleep… again._

 _Looking around groggily, Lorelai noted her mother was missing from the room. "Huh," she thought. Shifting her gaze to the bed, she watched as the nurse ran through her normal routine, checking to make sure that everything to do with Richard was okay._

" _Everything still looks good, Mr. Gilmore. If all goes well, I believe that we'll be able to send you home today." Jenny smiled._

" _Well that would be wonderful," Richard answered, "Let's hope that's the case."_

 _As the woman left the room, Lorelai cleared her throat. "So, you're feeling good this morning, then?"_

 _Looking over at her with surprise, Richard blinked quickly. "Oh, yes… I didn't realize you were awake. I am feeling rather fine, I guess, considering the circumstances."_

" _Good…" Not sure how to continue the conversation, Lorelai looked to the ground awkwardly. "Uh, so… How was your Thanksgiving, Dad?"_

 _At this point, Emily walked in, hearing the end of Lorelai's question. "Seriously, Lorelai?" she frowned disapprovingly._

 _Shrugging, despite the awkward situation, Lorelai couldn't help but wear a small smirk. "What? You said I couldn't make small talk with you. You didn't say anything about Dad."_

" _Well, surely you can come up with a better question than what I asked you." Sitting down a cup of ice water in front of Richard, she stuck the straw in the lid carefully while still stalking to Lorelai. "If you want to know what we did, then maybe you should have been there, or at least called."_

 _Feeling that this was going to soon become a battle, Lorelai immediately crossed her arms defensively and spoke insistently. "You could have called me too, mom. I didn't have to tell you what I did for Thanksgiving last night, but I did."_

" _Just because you do it does not mean that we have to," she countered, "If you cared to know, then you would have cared to come."_

 _Rolling her eyes, Lorelai shifted in her seat. "I had plans with Luke, mother, but if you wanted me at Thanksgiving, then you should have asked."_

" _But why did I have to ask, Lorelai? You didn't ask me either. And you and I both know that you didn't invite us because you didn't want to see us. So if you didn't want to see us, then you don't get to know."_

 _Looking up in exasperation, Lorelai breathed deeply, trying to keep her anger inside. "Well, why would I want to see you," she reasoned. "Aside from Rory's party, which I'm still a little pissed about being surprise attacked at, every contact we have had for years has been less than pleasant."_

 _Ignoring Lorelai's reasoning, Emily shook her head. "She's my granddaughter. I had every right to be there."_

" _No you didn't! You weren't invited. You didn't respect my wishes!"_

" _Lorelai, don't raise your voice at your mother," Richard finally chimed in. "You knew that I didn't want to come without your mother. I assumed that your sending of an invitation acknowledged that desire and made it okay for her to come."_

" _Well you know what they say when you assume," Lorelai murmured._

" _Lorelai!" Emily reprimanded her._

" _Well, it's true," she responded with an eye roll. "Look, if he wasn't sure, he should have asked instead of just showing up with you."_

" _So now I have to get permission to go places with your father?"_

" _When that place is my house, yes!"_

" _She is your mother, Lorelai…" Richard tried to input one more time._

" _Dad, that's not the point," Lorelai countered, her hands flying out to her side in frustration._

" _Then what is the point? Enlighten us."_

" _Whether or not she is my mother and whether or not she is Rory's grandmother does not make a difference. This conversation isn't about that. It's about respect. You both went against my wishes at the party! It's not like I was going to make a big deal then, because it was Rory's birthday! I wasn't going to ruin her party by starting a screaming match with you and mom." Running her fingers through her hair, Lorelai sighed loudly. "Every time I have come to your house, I have respected yours and mom's wishes. I have acted like you wanted, eaten like you wanted, dressed like you wanted, brought who you wanted; done everything that you wanted!" She listed off each example on her fingers. "I do everything that you guys ask of me when I come over to your house, so expect the same respect from you."_

 _When she finished, the room stayed almost silent, the sound of her breathing being the only noise. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at her feet. "Look, guys. This whole wreck thing scared the hell out of me. Even after all the crap that's happened between us, I am willing to open the door to trying to work on this relationship as a family, but unless I get some sort of respect from you two, it's never going to happen."_

 _Bringing her eyes back up slowly, Lorelai saw both of her parents staring at her, clearly trying to process what she said._

 _As Emily opened her mouth to speak, Richard started suddenly. "We can try dinner again… Did you have a date in mind?"_

 _Looking to her mom, Emily had her lips pursed in a straight line, clearly not wiling to speak out against Richard's question._

" _Um, not exactly," Lorelai shook her head. "I figured we could wait until after you got better, so maybe some time after the new year?"_

" _I agree… We will discuss a specific date at a later time, won't we Emily?"_

 _Not responding audibly, she merely nodded._

 _Before the conversation could go any further, the doctor came in, and Lorelai decided to go out into the hall to give them some space._

* * *

"So that's when you guys came," Lorelai spoke plainly, her hands falling to her lap.

Looking at her with slight shock, Luke nodded slowly. "Wow… You stuck up for yourself and they accepted it. Who would have thought?"

"Well, mom didn't exactly say anything, so I'm not sure if she accepted it or not." She frowned. "But I was shocked Dad responded the way he did."

"I'm proud of you… That took a lot of guts to say all that."

"Thank you," she smiled. Standing up, she grabbed her small calendar from her nightstand drawer. Pointing to the second week of January, she traced along the line of days. "I was thinking about sometime during this week."

"Whatever works best for you," He answered, walking over to the dresser to get ready for bed.

Shutting the drawer back, she pulled her hair from the pony tail she had put it in earlier. "Don't worry, though. You don't have to go to dinner if you don't want to. I'll just tell them that you have to take over at the diner last minute or something."

Looking back at her curiously, Luke frowned. "Do you not want me to go?"

"What, no?" Lorelai responded quickly. "I just figured that you wouldn't want to. It's my family, and you've seen the drama that's happened in the past. I don't want you to have to get involved in that."

"Well, we're dating… and dealing with your family is part of the deal."

"Are you sure?"

Shaking his head yes, Luke looked back at her with an arched brow. "Lorelai, we've had this conversation how many times now? I'm coming with you."

"Okay…" Watching him for a second, a smile tugged at her lips as she realized how thankful she was for the support he was always willing to give her. Walking up behind him, she tugged at the flannel he was wearing. "You know, I loved the suit that you were wearing last night, but I still think I love this Luke look the best."

Reaching behind him, he smacked her hand away playfully.

Gasping at him with a laugh, she exclaimed, "Luke!"

With mock sternness in his voice, Luke spoke to her with a smirk. "Paws off. I'm already down five shirts. Don't even think about taking this one too."

Grinning as she rolled her eyes, Lorelai tugged at his flannel again. "Oh please, you probably wouldn't even notice because you have so many."

"Oh trust me… If you're wearing it, I notice it." He answered smoothly with a subtle wink. Taking off the flannel and his undershirt, he tossed them into the hamper and grabbed his pajama top.

As soon as he slipped it over his head, Lorelai caught the hem at the waist and pulled him to her. Walking him back to the bed with her, as soon as her knees hit, she fell back, bringing him down with her and making them both laugh.

"I thought you were tired," Luke grinned, his finger tracing her cheek.

Pushing on his chest, she flipped them over quickly. Hovering over him with a triumphant gleam in her eye, Lorelai wiggled against him. "What fun is sleeping without a little necking before?"

Shaking his head, he chuckled and brought her lips down to his in a kiss that built quickly. As he pulled back for air, she dropped her lips, trailing hot kisses across his jaw and down to the pulse in his neck.

Feeling her start to move against him as she nibbled at his ear, Luke sighed. "I know you can sleep in, but I've got to get up early tomorrow. Caesar has the morning off."

"So," she questioned in a murmur.

"That means we'll have to save this for later." Luke whispered back, his hand beginning to roam, though he was trying to resist her pull.

Pulling back, Lorelai looked down at him as she panted. Seeing the desire in his eyes, she grinned mischievously and leaned back in with her lips hovering dangerously above his. "What about five more minutes?"

"Okay," he growled, closing the gap between their lips.

* * *

"That wasn't five minutes," Luke breathed, pulling her against his side as he worked to catch his breath.

Laughing softly, Lorelai planted a kiss to his shoulder. "It was in Lorelai time."

"Ah, Lorelai time strikes again," he chuckled along with her.

"I think it worked in your favor this time, instead of against you."

"Oh, no. It definitely worked you against me."

Slapping his chest playfully, she smiled brightly. "Luke! That was very dirty of you!"

"Hey, you're the one that talked about working against me," he reasoned. "If anything, your dirtiness led to my dirtiness."

"I guess I'm rubbing off on you then."

Leaning his head up, Luke looked over at her with raised eyebrows.

Gasping with realization at his look, Lorelai began laughing again. "I'm just full of the dirty tonight."

"I have no problem with that," he grinned.

"Me either…"

Lacing their fingers together, Lorelai brought their joined hands to rest on his stomach. As per usual, a few moments later, Luke's eyes shut as free hand found its way into her hair, moving from root to end soothingly and making her smile.

"You're so predictable."

Opening his eyes, he cocked his head at her. "What?"

"I said, you're so predictable."

"Yeah, I heard that, but what do you mean?"

Laughing, though she wasn't sure why, Lorelai gestured up to his hand. "I mean, it seems that no matter what we're doing or where we are, you always find a way to have your hand in my hair."

At her words, his fingers froze. "Do you want me to stop?"

Reaching up, she took hold of his wrist and started moving it again. "Definitely not. I like it."

"Good." He smiled.

Minutes later, before he could doze off, Luke heard her sigh happily. "What?"

Bringing her gaze up to his, the corners of her lips perked up before she said, "Luke, it's almost Christmas."

"I know."

"It's our _first_ Christmas. Are you excited?"

Thinking on it for a second, Luke answered, "You know, I actually think I am."

Shocked by his answer, she propped herself up on one arm to get a better view of him. "You're serious?"

"Yeah…" he answered hesitantly, his eyes searching hers. "Why?"

"You have never been excited to celebrate anything for as long as we've been together… at least you haven't admitted it."

"Well I am… It's been a while since I enjoyed it, but I think this is going to be the year. You make it good again," he smiled, caressing her cheek.

Turning her head, she planted a kiss to his palm. "I love you."

Taking a hold of her shoulders, he pulled her up to him and brought her lips to his in a warm, loving kiss. "I love you too…"


	35. Chapter 35: Christmas and New Year

**CHAPTER 35: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year**

"Luke?" Unsurprisingly, Lorelai got no response. "Luke?" She nudged him again, speaking quietly.

"Mmmm?" He murmured half asleep, unwilling to open his eyes.

"Come on, babe. It's time to get up."  
"What time is it?"

"7:30"

"We told Rory we weren't getting up until 8," he growled, turning over away from her.

Dragging a finger down his side, she spoke knowingly. "Well, Rory is going to be in here jumping on us soon, and, considering the fact that you don't have a shirt on, I figured you might want to get a head start on her."

At the sound of "no shirt", Luke immediately shot up. "Crap," he grumbled, looking around the room for his shirt and making her laugh.

"Hey, there you are Sleeping Beauty," Lorelai grinned.

If looks could kill, the glare he shot her definitely would have.

Reaching over, she ran a hand through his sleep rumpled hair. "Your shirt ended up on my side on the floor… Here." She reached beside her and handed it to him. "I almost slipped on it a few minutes ago going to the bathroom."

"Well you're the one that threw it there, so that's your own fault." Standing up, he walked towards the door, focused on getting ready before Rory could appear at their bedside.

Right before he reached the door, he heard a soft, "Hey, Luke?"

Turning back, he saw Lorelai smiling. "Yeah?"

"Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Walking back over, Luke placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I'll be back in a few."

Entering the room a few minutes later, Luke saw something folded up on his pillow and Lorelai sitting crisscrossed on the bed with a mischievous grin. "What did you do?" He questioned immediately.

"I didn't do anything," she denied, her grin growing larger. "I just figured there was a gift that I needed to give you away from little eyes."

Narrowing his eyes at her suspiciously, he walked over and grabbed the object off his pillow and unfolded it. With an eyeroll, he groused, "What the hell are these?"

"Do you like them," Lorelai answered, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Do you seriously expect me to wear these?"

At her nod, he questioned further. "Now?" She nodded again.

Sighing, Luke turned to walk out of the room again. "I can't believe the things I let you make me do," he grumbled.

When he walked back in a short time later, Lorelai's hands immediately flew to her mouth, trying to muffle the laughter that was escaping her lips. "You look so great!"

Looking down, he began to chuckle with her. "These are awful!"

"I know!"

"There's mistletoe over my…"

"I know!" She laughed again. Standing up, she walked over to him, her finger trailing the waistband. "Who would have thought that Christmas boxers could be so amusing? I am so doing this every year!"

"I'm gonna go put my pants back on now," Luke grinned, capturing her hand.

"You just wait until Rory goes to bed tonight. I'm sure seeing these babies the second time is going to be even better!" Lorelai exclaimed, pecking his cheek.

"You're crazy." Returning her kiss, Luke shook his head. "Now let me go get dressed. There's no way in hell I could live with Rory coming in and seeing this."

* * *

"Come on, Daddy Luke! You have to hurry!" Rory exclaimed as she tugged Luke's hand, pulling him down the stairs behind her.

Tightening his grip quickly, he caught Rory before she could slip down a stair. "Woah, kid. Be careful. You can slow down. I don't think Mommy will start without us."

"But she will!" She looked up at him while shifting anxiously.

"She's right you know." Lorelai smiled from the couch as they descended the final stairs. "It's already 8:05. You said 8:00, so two minutes from now, your seven-minute leeway is up and I start opening."

Rolling his eyes as he sat down on the couch, Luke questioned, "Since when do you have a seven-minute leeway?"

"Since five minutes ago."

Opening his mouth to respond, he shut it quickly and sighed. "Okay, whatever."

"Wow you submitted so easily." Standing up, she walked over to the tree to grab the presents to hand out. "I expected more of a banter."

"Think of it as another Christmas Gift," he deadpanned.

After she finished handing out the presents, Lorelai plopped down on the floor next to her pile of gifts. "Okay, Rory. It's your year to countdown"

"Countdown?" Luke asked, eyeing Lorelai suspiciously.

"Yeah!" Rory exclaimed. Holding her hand up in the air, she called, "3, 2, 1, Open!" With a happy laugh, she began tearing the paper off her boxes.

Watching as Lorelai and Rory tore the paper from all their boxes as fast as they could, Luke noted how they didn't bother to open them but only rip the wrapping off. "What the hell are you doing?"

Looking up at him quickly, Lorelai reached over and grabbed his hands, putting them on the box in his lap. Looking back down, she continued tearing at her own boxes. "It's a race. Rory and I always see who can rip the wrapping paper off of our presents the fastest. Who ever wins gets to jump into the big pile of wrapping paper before we clean everything up. It's like jumping into a pile of leaves."

"Shouldn't you always win because you have fewer boxes?" he prodded, still not opening his.

Shifting her gaze quickly to her daughter, Lorelai was thankful when she realized Rory didn't hear Luke. "Shhh! She's not supposed to realize that," she whispered harshly. "Now open your presents like a good boy or I am putting you on the naughty list."

Twenty minutes later, the living room was a sea of wrapping paper.

"So, what do you think of all your cool stuff, hon" Lorelai questioned as she watched Rory gaze at all her now-opened presents with a bright smile.

"It's the best! Thank you, Mommy! Thank you, Daddy Luke!" She exclaimed, hugging each of them. Stepping back, she held up her arms, now covered with slap bracelets "Look at all of the colors!"

"They're so pretty!" Lorelai answered with the same excitement. "And they all go perfect with the rainbow dress you got!"

"Can I wear them to Mia's tonight? I want to show her!"

"Sounds good to me."

"Yay!" Turning around, she took in the paper covered floor. "Can I jump in the wrapping paper pile now? I won the race"

"Why not?" Lorelai smiled.

Gathering all of the paper together, she put it into a pile. "Well, it looks like with Daddy Luke's presents' we have an extra big pile this year. You ready sweets?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, hold my hand," Lorelai instructed, reaching over the rail to hold Rory's hand from the second step. "Ready, 1,2,3!"

Jumping as hard as she could, Rory flew happily into the pile, some paper flying up around her. Giggling loudly, she stood up and threw some of the paper into the air. "Merry Christmas!"

Scooping up into her arms quickly, Lorelai placed a loud kiss on Rory's cheek. "Merry Christmas!"

From the side, Luke watched them remake the pile and jump into it together. Unable to hide it, a smile grew on his face as they began making "paper angels". Before he knew it, he was right in the middle of a paper fight that somehow, yet unsurprisingly, ended up being two against one. Being pelted on both sides, Luke chuckled and grabbed Lorelai, pulling her quickly onto the couch, making her laugh loudly. "Help me, Rory!" she exclaimed.

Running over to her mother's aid, Rory latched on to Lorelai's arm, pulling her as hard as she could. "Let go! Let go!" She grumbled, but Luke wouldn't give an inch.

"What's the magic word?" Luke grinned, tightening his grip on Lorelai, making her laugh harder and making Rory's determination even greater.

"Please!" Rory exclaimed, her strength wavering. "Pretty please with sugar on top!"

"But I don't like sugar," he smirked as he shook his head. "Try again."

"Ummmm… Pretty please with vegetables on top!"

"That's better." Chuckling, he released Lorelai.

Rory, worn out, threw herself unceremoniously on the floor.

"Tired, sweets?" Lorelai smiled, plopping herself down on the floor beside her.

"Yeah…" Rolling over onto her side, she eyed her pile of presents. "Can I go put my books on my shelf? I can rest in there."

"Sure. I'll come get you when breakfast is ready."

As Rory grabbed her pile of books and strolled out of the room, Luke cleared his throat, gaining Lorelai's attention. "I can see why you like doing the paper pile."

"It makes her so happy," She smiled. Sitting up, she moved closer to where she could take a hold of his hand. "Thanks for playing a long. I don't know how many paper cuts you got in the process, but if you're anything like me, I'm sure the tips of your fingers aren't feeling to great right now."

"I only got a few. It's no big deal." Reaching behind him, Luke pulled a small present from behind the couch cushion. "Are you up for tearing a little bit more paper, or have you had your fill?"

"Huh?" Looking at his outstretched hand, she eyed the gift warily. "Where did that come from?"

"I hid it," he chuckled. "You like to snoop, so I hid it somewhere I knew you wouldn't think to look."

Reaching for it, she could tell by the size and the weight exactly what it was. "Luke," she sighed, "You promised you wouldn't…" she faltered off.

"Just open it." He answered with a flick of his chin. "Humor me."

Tearing the paper carefully, she removed it and opened the small box. Her breath caught in her throat as she was met with a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant surrounded by small diamonds.

Tracing the jewel slowly, Lorelai whispered an almost inaudible, "Luke…"

"Do you like it?" He questioned her as he watched her just stare at the box.

Taking a shaky breath before she spoke, Lorelai looked up at him with loving eyes. "I love it." She answered softly. "Luke, this is too much. We promised that we wouldn't buy expensive gifts. I…"

"If you love it, then it's not too much," Luke cut her off with reassurance.

Looking back down at the box in her hand, she finally decided to carefully remove the necklace from the box. "Will you put it on me?"

Taking it, Luke pushed her hair to the side and pulled the necklace around her, slipping the clasp through the loop smoothly.

Turning back around to him, she wore a bright smile as she reached up and fingered the jewel that was now around her neck. "It's perfect." Standing up, she settled herself onto his lap, her hands coming to rest on his cheeks as she brought him in for a soft kiss, whispering a quiet, "I love you," just before their lips met. Slowly and deliberately they kissed, Lorelai inching closer as Luke took her deeper.

Breaking for air, he drew her into his embrace. "I love you too, by the way."

"You didn't have to do this," she informed him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know, but I wanted to." Pulling back, he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before smiling small. "I wanted to do something nice for my girl."

"Well, this goes way beyond nice." Leaning her forehead against his, she pecked one last short kiss on his lips, a smile growing on her face to match his. "Merry Christmas, Luke."

"Merry Christmas, Lorelai."

* * *

"I can't believe this year is already almost over! How is tomorrow already New Year's Eve?" Lorelai questioned as she walked into their room a few nights later with a cup in her hand. Taking a sip of it herself, she smiled at Luke's reflection in the mirror as she sat the glass of water on his night stand.

"You know, you could just get a cup of water yourself instead of mooching off of mine."

"But I don't need a whole cup. I only need a sip." She reasoned with him. "If I got a whole cup, then I would be wasting a dish because I can't drink the whole thing, and that's one more dish we have to wash."

Turning back to her with a smirk, Luke shook his head. "You can talk your way out of anything, can't you?"

"Of course. You should know that by now."

With a quiet laugh escaping his lips, Luke slipped into his pajama pants and turned to face her. "So, you mentioned the new year… Are you still planning on going to Patty's party tomorrow night?"

"About that…" Lorelai faltered off. Taking a second to get comfortable, she pulled back the covers and slipped into their warmth. Snuggling deep into the bed, she watched as Luke changed his shirt. "I thought we could do something different," she spoke plainly, throwing out the statement casually and waiting to see his reaction.

"Different? Is there another party I need to worry about getting dragged to?" He questioned her warily.

"No… I heard that there's an ice skating rink set up in Woodbridge, and I thought it might be fun to go. Me, you, and Rory can do that, and maybe we can get some ice cream after." Seeing his raised eyebrows, she added, "And some frozen yogurt for _you_ , and then we can come home and spend the rest of the night here."

"You want to go ice skating?"

"Yeah…" she nodded. "Are you okay with that? I know you don't really want to go to Patty's party, and I don't want to go alone, so I figured you might want to do something else."

"I'm fine with it." Luke agreed. "I heard someone talking about the rink in the diner a few days ago, and I thought about it. I just figured you wouldn't like it… with it requiring some sort of coordination and all," he continued teasingly.

A scoff escaping her lips, she stuck her tongue out at him. "Ha ha… I actually happen to know how to ice skate, thank you very much. It was one of the only Emily Gilmore approved activities of my childhood."

"Well how was I supposed to know? You're always complaining that you have no athletic ability, and I figured that skating would be the same," He taunted her with a grin. Walking over, he plopped down on to his side, propping his head up with his hand to look at her. "Am I going to be shocked and see some gold medal level skating?"

"I'm sure I'm no _Butch Danes_ ," she emphasized his name, a smile gracing her lips at his scowl. "But I can hold my own. Tell me, did Butch ever learn how to skate?"

"Butch? No." Luke rolled his eyes. "But Luke? Yes. I went through a hockey phase like every other kid that lives in the northeast."

Laughing at his suddenly gruff demeanor, she pushed him, forcing him onto his back and wiping the frown off his face. As she curled into his side, she spoke again. "Hmmm. From hockey to baseball and track… Now, I'm not a pro at sports, but even I know those things don't have much in common."

"Oh, I loved hockey more than the other two. Hockey was all I wanted to play… til I broke my nose the first time. Skated right into a tree."

"Is that why your nose is slightly crooked?" She questioned with mock innocence.

His free hand immediately flew to his face. "My nose is not crooked."

Giggling, she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder. Placing a soft kiss there, she smiled. "No, it's not. But saying it is is good payback for you teasing me about my athletic ability."

"So you're allowed to make fun of yourself and of me, but I can't tease you?"

"Exactly," she confirmed, his hand squeezing her shoulder affectionately as she nodded.

As the conversation came to a natural end, they laid in comfortable silence, winding down for the night. Naturally, Lorelai shifted until she could get comfortable. After a few turns and maneuvering of Luke's arms and her legs, she sighed contently. "How in the world am I supposed to make it to midnight tomorrow? It's only 10, and I am almost at the point that I can barely keep my eyes open."

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Luke placated her, his eyes still shut and his hand running slowly through her curls.

"If that way requires an enormous amount of coffee, will you be my supplier?"

"If you promise to drink one cup of tea, then sure?" If Lorelai's eyes had been open, she would have seen the taunting grin reappear on his lips.

"If I drink the tea, then you have to eat ice cream and _not_ frozen yogurt, and you have to eat the whole cone too." She negotiated.

"Are you trying to kill me before the new year can even start?"

"No… I plan on getting a kiss out of you at midnight, so I'll save plotting your demise for sometime later in the year."

Chuckling softly, Luke planted a soft kiss to her hair. "Good to know."

"So that's a yes to our deal then," Lorelai questioned hopefully?

"Yes, Lorelai."

"Good…"

With that, the room once again settled into silence. Just before Luke could fall asleep, he heard a barely audible whisper. "I forgot to tell you. Happy New Year's Eve _Eve_ , Luke."

Reaching down to her side, he pulled Lorelai closer, squeezing her side affectionately. "Good night, Crazy Lady."

* * *

Grabbing his skates from the by the door, Luke walked out to the truck and tossed them in the floorboard of the passenger side. Making it to the driver's seat, he sat down with a relieved sigh. It had been a long day, and there was nothing that could make his day better than spending the night with his girls, even if it meant going out for a while.

"Hey! You're off early!" Lorelai exclaimed happily as she opened the door for Luke before he could even make it up the stairs.

"I am. Everyone in town is getting ready for the party, so the diner was dead." Taking in her appearance, he noted the way she was bouncing slightly from foot to foot. "You look excited," he stated plainly.

"I am! What's not to be excited about? I get to spend the night celebrating with my favorite guy and I get to surprise my kid with her first-time ice skating!" She grinned.

"You haven't told her yet?"

Grabbing his arm, she pulled him inside the house and along with her. "Nope. She has no idea. I wanted you to see her reaction when I told her."

Walking into Rory's room, they found her sitting at her desk reading. "Alright! Up, up, up! Get your jacked on, and let's go!" Lorelai exclaimed, startling Rory and making her jump as she looked up from her book.

"Where are we going?"

"We are going ice skating!"

Gasping, Rory hopped out of her chair. "Really?"

"Really!" Grabbing her jacket off the back of the chair, Lorelai held it out to her. "Here, put your arms in."

As she slid her arms into the sleeves, A look of realization appeared on Rory's face. "But I don't know how to ice skate."

"Don't worry. We'll find a way teach you," Lorelai smiled. "I can't then Daddy Luke will."

Looking up at him with imploring eyes, Rory questioned Luke. "Really?"

Nodding, he ruffled her hair, making her giggle. "You bet. Anything for you kid."

Suddenly running over and grabbing her boots, Rory slipped them on and ran to the door of her room. "Okay! I'm ready! Let's go!" With that, she ran out of the room.

Smiling at Luke, Lorelai zipped up the jacket she was wearing. "See how happy she is? I told you it's worth being excited." Following Rory, she hurried out to the foyer.

Shaking his head, Luke walked out of the room behind her. How they could get so excited about every little thing in life, he wasn't sure, but he knew better than to question, and with a smile, he followed them contently out the door.

* * *

"I still can't believe that we are using rental skates while you get to use your own fancy hockey skates," Lorelai frowned, looking over at Luke as he tied his skates and she tried to tie Rory's.

"It's not my fault that I've been skating in the last decade and you haven't." Luke rolled his eyes.

"You could still suffer the horrors of rental skates with us…" Turning back to Rory, she tried for the second time to tie the uncooperative skate. "Babe, will you help me with this? I can't seem to get this skate to cooperate."

Slipping off his gloves, Luke crouched down. "Sure."

Unlacing the skate, Luke quickly retightened it and completed the final pegs, typing the laces in a bow. "There you go, Rory. You're all set." He patted her on the leg, standing up on his own skates.

They're really tight, Daddy Luke." Rory frowned as she stood up slowly, shifting her weight to regain her balance as she stumbled a little.

"I know, but they need to be tight. Don't worry, they'll loosen up a little while you skate." Patting her on the shoulder, Luke held out his hand. "Are you ready?"

As Rory nodded, they finally headed over to the ice to skate.

The initial excitement in Rory's eyes faded slowly as they walked. Watching carefully, she saw people skating around and occasionally falling. "What if I fall," she spoke hesitantly

The fear in her voice caught both of Luke and Lorelai's attention. Before Lorelai could answer, Luke bent down to Rory's level and looked at her directly. "Rory, would Mommy and I ever let anything bad happen to you?"

Shaking her head, she responded with a soft, "No."

"Exactly, no. It's a little slippery, but we will help you."

Smiling at Luke's answer, Lorelai reached down for Rory's free hand. "He's right, sweets. We've got you. Are you ready?"

Without words, she nodded again.

Stepping on to the ice, Luke got his footing and turned back to reach out for Rory. Gripping her hand tightly, he helped her on and then made way for Lorelai to get on.

Quickly losing her balance, Rory began to slip backwards. Before she could fall on her backside, Luke caught her under her arms, keeping her upright. "I've got you. Just keep moving." He smiled down at her.

For the first few feet, Rory kept her blades firmly on the ice, gliding along as Lorelai and Luke pulled her.

Looking down and seeing her feet, Luke shook his head. "Try picking your feet up like you're marching. It makes moving a lot easier."

"But when I lift up my foot, I slip," Rory responded with a frown.

Squeezing her hand, Lorelai smiled. "It's okay. Just take it slow… Watch." Releasing her hand, Lorelai skated gracefully a little bit ahead of them.

"Wow!" Rory watched with wide eyes. "Can you do that, Daddy Luke?"

"I can," he confirmed, watching Lorelai attempt to spin, trying not to chuckle as she wobbled a bit. "Do you want me to show you?"

Shaking her head quickly, she responded adamantly. "No! I'll fall without you!"

Her shaking caused her to lose her balance again, but with Luke's grip on her wrist, he stopped her. "It's okay. I won't let go until youre ready. Just let me know when."

Thirty minutes later, the trio had made a good number of laps. Luke, not wanting to admit it, was starting to cramp from leaning over. As the laps went on, he noticed that Rory's skating had definitely improved and also took note of the thinning crowd. Catching Lorelai's gaze, he jilted his chin towards the side. "Let's stop over there a second."

"Okay!" She agreed easily.

Getting away from everyone to the corner of the rink, they stopped and Luke crouched down before Rory again. "I want you to try something for me princess,,, Do you think you can skate a lap all by yourself?"

Gripping his arm immediately, Rory tensed up. "It's scary."

"You're been skating so well, though," Luke reasoned.

"If you want, me or Daddy Luke will skate right behind you to make sure you don't fall," Lorelai added.

Eying them both warily, Rory frowned, poking her bottom lip out. "I don't want to fall."

"I know you don't, and we won't let you," Lorelai reassured her gently.

Thinking about it for a second, she finally agreed. "Okay… I'll try."

Slowly but surely, Rory skated a lap. Lorelai hovered behind her and Luke skated backwards in front of her, but despite a few wobbles, she was able to stay upright without their help for the entire length of the ice. At the end of the lap, unable to stop, she ran straight into Luke's arms where he picked her and Lorelai enveloped them both. "I did it!" Rory celebrated, squeezing Luke's neck.

"You did, Rory! Good job," Luke squeezed her back, unable to hide the proud smile growing on his face.

"I did it mommy!" She made sure to acknowledge Lorelai specifically as well. "I skated all by myself like a big girl!"

"I know, I saw," Lorelai exclaimed with the same excitement, planting a loud kiss on her cheek. "I'm so proud of you."

"Let's skate some more!" Rory commanded, trying to wiggle out of Luke's grip.

Feeling a little fatigued herself, Lorelai stopped to think for a moment before speaking. "I have an idea, hon. Why don't you skate a quick lap all by yourself, and Daddy Luke and I will watch?"

Despite her initial hesitance, the lap without falling boosted Rory's confidence. Without second thought, she agreed. "Okay!"

Leaning back against the wall behind them, Lorelai took Luke's hand as they watched Rory and her new found talent. "I think we've created a monster," she joked. "It's going to take us a while to get out of here now."

Bringing his arm around her shoulder, Luke pulled her closer. "That's okay. I'm really glad she's liking it. She's taking to it better than I thought."

Not taking her eyes of Rory, Lorelai nodded in agreement. "I know. I'm surprised… Thanks for helping me teach her, by the way. Not that I couldn't do it, but she really trusts you a lot, so it helps."

"No problem." Planting a kiss to her hair in an usual act of PDA, Lorelai smiled small and they faltered off into comfortable silence until Rory's lap came to an end.

"Did you see me?" Rory questioned as she slid into them. "I did it all by myself, and I still didn't fall!" She exclaimed, looking up at them with happy eyes.

"We saw! You did great!" Lorelai answered, holding up her hand for a high-five to which Rory quickly obliged.

"Will you skate with me some more?"

Both of them laughed at Rory's sudden enthusiasm for the sport before Lorelai nodded. "I like that idea," she agreed. "Here's what I am thinking. Why don't we skate a few more laps, and then we can go get some ice cream and hot chocolate on the way home?"

"Hot chocolate _and_ ice cream," Rory gasped!

"Yep! But we've got to finish skating first. What do you say, hon?"

"Let's skate!" Rory yelled, starting off slowly again.

Luke and Lorelai both looked at each other and shook their heads at each other in amusement as they followed behind.

"Really? Hot chocolate _and_ ice cream? That wasn't part of the plan," he murmured.

Shrugging, Lorelai wore an innocent grin. "Well, we already planned the ice cream, but I am starting to get cold, so I am sure Rory is too. She can't have coffee yet, so hot chocolate is the second-best option." She reasoned.

"I'm assuming you mean the second-best option for only her, right?" he rolled his eyes.

"Of course! I'd never turn down coffee for hot chocolate… plus, that's what you promised me last night."

"On the agreement that you'd drink a cup of tea too," he challenged her with raised eyebrows.

"I'll drink that when we get home… and don't forget, you have to eat ice cream," she taunted back, a teasing lilt in her voice.

"Yeah, yeah… Just keep skating," Luke shook his head, capturing her arm and bringing her closer to him. "Maybe all of this exercise will make the ice cream take one year off of my life instead of five."

* * *

When they arrived home from the rink and the ice cream parlor, Luke carried a sleeping Rory straight into her room. As Lorelai tucked her in and went upstairs to change, Luke locked up and washed any dishes left from that morning. After changing into pajamas himself, he came downstairs to find Lorelai stretched out on the couch.

Descending the last few stairs, he walked over and blocked her view to the TV.

"You're not a good window," she frowned, lifting her chin and trying to get to where she could see around him.

"Well, my mother wasn't a glass maker, so…" he smirked. Nudging her bare leg with his he spoke. "Scoot over some."

With a soft sigh, she turned sluggishly on to her side, making a space just large enough for him to lie down behind her.

Nestling his body closely to hers, Luke slid a knee between hers, his arm coming to rest around her waist. "I meant move your legs so I could sit, but this works too."

Quietly, they both watched as people danced crazily on the screen. Suddenly, Lorelai spoke up. "You're not sad you're missing Patty's New Year's Bash?"

Snorting a laugh, Luke shook his head. "I'm devastated. You know I'm the life of the party every year." Unconsciously, he slipped his hand under the front of her flannel, stroking her stomach softly. "What are we watching?"

"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve…" She answered, turning her head to look back at him. "Have you not seen it before?"

"It's been a while. I normally don't stay up," he answered plainly.

"Huh…" she acknowledged him simply. Snuggling closer, she burrowed further back into his embrace, his arm tightening around her waist in response.

As they watched the Beach Boys perform, Lorelai hummed along softly before speaking again. "Good night…"

"Mhmmm," Luke agreed quietly.

"Even better year," she said quietly a few moments later.

"I'd say so." He agreed, planting a kiss to her hair.

"Any regrets?"

"Not one… You?"

"Aside from the Great Fashion Disaster of February 3rd, no… But you weren't around to see that."

Patting her stomach, he chuckled. "Any serious regrets?"

Turning her head to look at him, she smiled cheekily. "I am being serious. You can ask Sookie. I looked pretty bad."

"I doubt that."

"Whatever. You're just biased."

"No. You're just beautiful," he retorted matter of factly.

Her face blushing immediately, she squeezed his hand and whispered a genuine, "Thank you."

They both watched as the bands switched with ten minutes til midnight. As the new group began playing, Lorelai immediately perked up. "Oooo, I love them!"

Luke could feel her start to move slightly to the music. Nudging her forward, he climbed over her and stood up, holding out his hand.

Looking at it curiously, she questioned, "What?"

"Trust me," he answered simply.

Pulling her up, he brought her in close, his other hand coming to rest on the small of her back, Slowly, he started to sway them back and forth. "You're missing the party, but that doesn't mean you have to miss the dancing too."

Gasping, a bright smile appeared on her face. "Really? You're gonna dance with me?"

"I told you I would in private."

"I love you…"

"I know," Luke smirked smugly. Tightening his grip on her waist, he answered quietly. "I love you too."

Perfectly in tune with the music, they danced lightly for the next two songs. Watching over her shoulder, Luke noted the countdown clock showed two minutes. As the music ended, they still swayed, following a rhythm of their own.

"You know, I've never had a New Year's kiss…" Lorelai spoke up quietly.

Pulling back, he looked at her with surprise. "Really?"

She merely nodded.

"Not even with Christopher?"

"No…" she shook her head. "The one New Year's we were together, he was passed out. And every year before that, I was forced to party with my parents." She rolled her eyes. Seeing the look on his face, she could tell that he wanted to say something but was holding back. "What?"

"Hm?" He questioned, trying to ignore her expectant look. "Nothing."

"Oh, it was something. You wanted to say something, so tell me."

Taking a breath, he questioned, "Are you sure?" At her not, he chuckled softly. "I was going to say that not only is he a jackass, he's an idiot."

"Luke!" She laughed, covering her mouth quickly as to not wake Rory.

"What?" He grinned. "I'm just saying. He had the most amazing girl in the world, and instead of kissing her at midnight, he got too drunk to function. That's just stupid."

"I'm the most amazing girl in the world?" She prodded with a gleam in her eye.

Rolling his eyes, Luke scoffed. "Of course, that's the one part you hear. Not the part where I called him stupid."

"Did you mean it? Me being amazing? Because that's really sweet."

"You know I do."

"Well then that's all I care about hearing. I knew Christ was an idiot a long time ago." Kissing his cheek, she let her lips linger. When she pulled back, she ran her fingers thought the long curls at the nape of his neck as she frowned. "I'm guessing that I'm not going to be your first New Year's kiss, though, huh?"

Shaking his head, Luke answered, "No, but it's our first… and you're the only one I'll share it with from now on." Hearing the countdown start at 20, Luke jerked his chin at the screen. "Speaking of…"

"You've got 20 seconds to change your mind."

"Never," he answered huskily, his eyes boring into hers.

"Don't kiss me too early, or we'll have bad luck," she grinned as his lips moved towards hers.

"I wouldn't want that." He continued to look at her intensely, her arousal growing under his heated gaze.

"This is gonna be a good year, isn't it," she whispered.

"If I have you, it will be."

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Rang out in the back ground, and Lorelai found Luke's lips tenderly on hers, much softer than she expected.

When he pulled back, she rubbed her lip gloss from his lips. "Happy New Year, Babe."

"Happy New Year, Lorelai," He answered, kissing her again but a little harder.

"Mmmmm," She hummed as his lips broke from hers and began to trail across her jaw line. His hands slid down her side, kneading her hips as he backed her up against the stair rail. "That feels nice."

"That's what I was going for," Luke mumbled.

"You know what else I haven't done to ring in the new year before?" Lorelai murmured as her hands slipped into the waistband of his sweatpants.

"I think I've got a pretty good idea," he growled as her hands groped lower.

Looking at him with a naught grin, she raised her eye brows challengingly. "Let's ring in the new year with a band."

"Bang?" He questioned her with an arched brow. "Dirty."

"I meant it that way." Sliding away from him, she started to saunter up the stairs, a jaunt hinting her step as she knew he was watching. When she reached the landing, she looked back at him over her shoulder. "You coming?"

"Just taking a second to admire what's mine," Luke grinned, not so subtly scanning her frame.

"Well, hurry up. We need to make some fireworks on our own."

Chuckling, he shook his head and moved towards her, chasing her quickly up the stairs and into the room, her laughter echoing in the hall.

* * *

 **A/N: I think... I THINK I may have broken through my writer's block! *fist pumps* I don't know what it was, but there was something about this chapter that was super hard to write. I thought about uploading it on Saturday, but I think the site was down. (Did anyone else have issues?) Anyway, this chapter is FINALLY up, and I have already started a little bit of the next chapter. For some reason the ideas are flowing, so I am _definitely_ not going to question it and I'll keep writing. Thank you all for being so patient and for reading/reviewing! It makes me so happy to know that you have enjoyed my writing so far, so let me know how you feel about this chapter too.**


	36. Chapter 36: Dinner and a Discussion

**CHAPTER 36: Dinner and a Discussion**

"Have I ever told you how much I love snow," Lorelai questioned dreamily as she plopped down at the counter. Sighing happily, she turned to look back out the window at the snow coming down, hearing Luke slide a coffee mug in behind her. "It just makes every day better."

"Please tell me you drove and didn't walk here in this mess," Luke frowned as he filled the mug and eyed what he could see of her frame, taking in her not-so-warm outfit.

"Don't worry _Dad_ , I've got my jacket right here, and I drove the mile it takes to get here from the inn with the heat full blast," she answered, holding up her bright pink jacket for him to see.

Rolling his eyes, he grumbled, "Forgive me for caring." Pulling his order-pad out of his jeans, he questioned, "What do you want to eat?"

"Well, when you ask like that, how can I resist answerin'" Lorelai teased, a deep southern drawl taking over her voice. At his scowl, she grinned. "I'll take a cheese burger with extra cheese and onion rings." She answered over the rim of her mug then took a drink.

"Sounds delicious." Luke deadpanned. After writing it down, he gave the order to Caesar and returned with a rag ready to wipe down the counter in front of her. "Busy day? You're in here later than usual."

"Yeah," she sighed, lifting up her cup as he wiped, avoiding the tangling of their arms. "We had a little mix up with reservations around noon, so I had to get that straightened out, and then some of the kids staying in room 5 thought it would be a good idea to pull a fire alarm out in the hall, forcing everyone to evacuate and freak out for no reason." She frowned and took another long drink of her coffee. "It's days like these that I am thankful for the amazing kid I've got… and for coffee that is supplied to me by my charmingly handsome boyfriend."

"Charmingly handsome, huh?"

"Yep!" A mischievous grin grew on her face.

Looking at her with narrowed eyes, Luke spoke knowingly. "Let me guess, you want a refill already."

"That would be nice," she agreed, holding out her now almost empty mug with a grin.

Shanking his head, he obliged and reached for the pot, refilling the mug back up to the rim. "You're a junkie."

"And you're amazing." She smiled back at him, forcing his lips to perk up at the end as well. Taking a sip, she sat the mug back down and tapped her nails in on the counter. "Speaking of my amazing boyfriend, do you know what I realized on the way over here?"

"What?"

"I have not had a date with said boyfriend in a while."

His brow arched, Luke looked at her curiously. "We just went to the movies last week."

"But that's not the same. It was supposed to be a family night, but Rory ended up going to Lane's. That's the only reason we were by ourselves," she answered, a slight plea hinting in her voice.

"Then I'll take you on a date," he answered bluntly and quickly.

Something in his tone caused Lorelai to frown. "Well don't sound too happy about it," she stated, confusion filling her voice as she cocked her head. "Do you not want to?"

"What?" Seeing the look of questioning in her eyes, he immediately reassured her. "Of course,… I just didn't want you to feel like you needed to convince me with bantering or teasing. I don't need convincing, just a time and day."

"Oh, okay…" she accepted his answer easily. "What about tomorrow night?"

"I'm closing tomorrow night. What about Thursday?"

Shaking her head, she shifted on her stool. "We can't. Lane's coming over while her parents go to an "all adult" meeting at their church, remember? Mrs. Kim asked me when we picked Rory up after the movie last week."

Sighing, his hands came to rest on his hips. "Well, I guess we'll have to plan it for next week."

"Umm, hello? Did you forget about Friday night?"

"We can't go Friday night. We have dinner with your parents." At her sudden wide eyes and hitched breath, Luke hung his head. "You do remember that you were supposed to schedule dinner with your parents for Friday, right?"

Running her finger along the rim of her drink, Lorelai looked up at him through her lashes with innocent eyes. "Well…"

"Lorelai, you haven't called them?" At her shrug, he rolled his eyes. "You have to call them. You were supposed to book this last week."

"I know… I just couldn't work up the nerve."

"You better work up the nerve fast, because we have to do it this Friday. I work next Friday because Caesar's brother is coming into town for a late Christmas."

"I will…"

Hearing and seeing her order placed in the window, Luke grabbed it, bringing it over to her. "Here, maybe this plate of grease will help motivate you."

"I doubt it will create the desire to want to call my parents, but at least it will fulfill my outrages goal of finding out if onion rings would make a good replacement for a bun on a burger." She smiled, taking the top bun off and placing varying sizes of onion rings within each other in its place.

Scrunching his nose, Luke shook his head in disgust. "That's making me sick just looking at it."

Taking a quick bite, she hummed in satisfaction. Swallowing quickly, she took a drink to wash it down. "It's just as amazing as I thought it'd be," she laughed at his frown.

"Call me back over when you're done eating that… I don't feel like watching you take 5 years off of your life in one sitting."

* * *

"What is she doing," Luke questioned, walking into the kitchen later that evening. Much to his confusion, Lorelai sat at the table with her head down as Rory sat beside her working on her homework.

"She doesn't want to call Grandma and Grandpa," Rory answered, not looking up from her paper.

Heaving a sigh, Luke walked back into the living room and grabbed the phone. Reentering the kitchen, he slid it across the table towards her hand. "Lorelai, they're already expecting your call, so you might as well go ahead and do it."

"I know," she groaned, not lifting her head from the table. "I'm just preparing myself for what will no doubt be a conversation laced with false happiness and snide comments about me."

Rolling his eyes, he nudged the phone closer. "You don't know that. You haven't even called."

"Hello, it's my mother," she gestured widely, throwing her hands out to her side. Finally looking back at him, she shook her head. "I don't know why you'd expect anything less."

"Can I go do my homework in my room," Rory interrupted, looking at Lorelai with questioning eyes. "It's too noisy in here."

"Sure sweets," she answered, plastering on a fake smile until she left the room.

As Rory's door closed, Lorelai pointed to the seat directly next to her. "Sit." She commanded to Luke.

"Uh, okay."

After running her hands across her face, she propped her head up with her chin and looked at him with a frown. "I promise you, I am going to call them before the night is over. I just need to prepare myself. I know that I was the one to agree to set up this dinner, but I'm still scared to do it."

"Because of your history with them," Luke inferred, taking her free hand from the table and squeezing it. "I get it, I really do. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be nervous about calling, but you agreed to the dinner, so it is going to happen one way or another."

"I know…"

"If you wanted to, we could probably have the dinner here…"

Before he could explain is idea further, Lorelai sat up quickly and yelled a quick, "No. Not going to happen."

Caught off guard by her outburst, Luke's eyes widened. "Um, okay…Why not? We've already had dinner at their house, and it didn't go well. Why not try it here?"

"Because there is no way in hell that I'm subjecting anything but myself to scrutiny." Standing up, she began to pace and explain. "If they come here, I have no doubt that my mom will not only criticize me like she always does, but she'll also find something wrong with the house. She probably already has a list ready from her last visit… And since you were the one who did a lot of the repairs to the house, that means she will also have something negative to say about you. Then she could proceed to talk about how we aren't providing a good enough environment for Rory to live." Stopping in her tracks, she pointed at him. "And if there is one thing that I hate more than anything, it's when someone accuses me of being a bad mother to Rory. I do everything with her in mind, and I don't want my mother to try to say otherwise, because that's when a screaming match will break out."

Raising his hands in surrender, Luke frowned. "Fine. We won't have it here…I wasn't trying to rile you up. I was just thinking you might feel more comfortable at home than at their house where they control everything."

Running a hand over her face, she walked over and plopped herself in his lap. Planting a short kiss to his lips, she pulled back and spoke genuinely. "I'm sorry for snapping. I know you were just thinking about making me comfortable. I just feel better going there, since at least in their house my mother's critical eye will only be on our appearance and not our who life and this house."

"It's okay," Luke answered, his arms immediately coming around her waist and squeezing her. "You've listened to what, about a hundred of my rants? I think I'll be fine listening to one of yours."

"That's right," she grinned, poking his chest, "You owe me. I may have to turn into Ranting Lorelai in order to catch up..." Pondering the thought for a moment, she tapped her chin teasingly. "I know…Do you think that you could help me come up with a good rant about why I need to eat red meat? I'm sure the people of the diner would love to hear it when I come in for lunch tomorrow."

Knowing good and well how her mind worked, Luke chuckled and stopped her before she could change the subject. "We'll work on your ranting skills later. I think there's still a phone call you need to make," he spoke knowingly.

Scowling teasingly, Lorelai stood up slowly with a dramatic groan. "Fine…" Grabbing the phone from the table, she dialed and walked over by the back door.

As she waited for her mother to pick up, Luke noticed how she stiffened up and reached to twirl the curl hanging by her face, which was a signal to him that she really was nervous. It amazed him how much a simple conversation could make her formal confidence fade so fast.

"Hello?... May I speak with Mrs. Gilmore? It's her daughter, Lorelai… Yes, thank you."

A few minutes later, as she hung up the phone, Lorelai looked at Luke, anxiety evident in expression.

"So…dinner at your parents' house on Friday night?" He questioned sympathetically as she started walking towards him.

"Yep…" she sighed, plopping down onto the chair next to him again. "This better be better than the last time we had dinner, or this may be the last straw… I don't know how many more terrible events I can take before I just give up trying to have a relationship with them."

"Either way, I'll be right here with you," Luke assured her.

"You always are…" Settling into silence for a moment, she broke it with a small laugh. "I guess there is _one_ good thing about having dinner at their house instead of ours."

"What's that?"

"If we were to have dinner here, we couldn't force them to leave if they were getting on my nerves. At their place, if we need to make a quick escape, I know every single way out of that place that isn't the front door." She grinned mischievously. "Although, getting Rory to climb a balcony rail and slide down a water drain pipe might be a little difficult."

Glad that she was still in a good mood, Luke played along like he knew she wanted him to and rolled his eyes. "I'm sure the front door would work as well."

"But where's the fun in that? You really can't get the true Lorelai Gilmore experience without sneaking out of the Gilmore compound… Although, instead of the water pipe, I think it would be fun to see you try to squeeze through the tiny window from the basement. That one was always the riskiest for me."

* * *

Friday night rolled around quickly, and before Lorelai knew it, she found herself giving her curls their final check to make sure they were up to Emily Gilmore standards. "I'll show her unruly hair," she grumbled quietly into the room as she moved a wild hair back into place. Finally satisfied with her appearance, she looked hesitantly over towards the bed where her outfit for the night was laying out. The black and white floral dress and her strappy heels were all that separated her from beginning what she feared would become a disastrous night. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Lorelai sat silently staring into the mirror, her eyes not straying form the dress behind her.

Opening the door and walking into the room, this was how Luke found her. "Am I crazy or aren't you supposed to be getting ready? We've only got 10 minutes before we need to leave."

His words pulled her out of her reverie. "Huh?"

Walking over, he stood in front of her with arms crossed. "Why aren't you getting ready?"

"Oh, that… I am completely ready except for my dress and shoes." She answered, gesturing to her lingerie clad body.

"As much as I am enjoying the view…" Raising his eyebrows naughtily at her grin, he took a step closer to her. "And I mean really enjoying it, is there a reason you're not wearing your dress and shoes yet?"

Looking down at her lap, she began fiddling with her hands. "Would you accept my answer if I told you that it was because my dress and my shoes are having a fight, so I laid them on the bed together and am waiting for them to make up?"

Snorting a laugh, Luke shook his head. "If it was any other day, yes." Wearing a smirk, he reached out for her hands, pulling her up once she took his. He slipped an arm around her waist and used the other hand to push a strand of hair from in front of her face. "I can see the smoke coming out of your ears. What are you thinking so hard about?"

"What do you think? This dinner…"

"Well quit thinking about it."

Rolling her eyes, Lorelai squeezed his hips. "You're one to talk, Mr. I-Like-To-Get-In-My-Own-Head-And-Stew-About-Things," she spoke knowingly, a frown growing on her face.

"And you know that you would tell me the same thing." Luke countered, staring back at her.

Under his gaze, she sighed. "Fine… I know. I'm overthinking it. I just don't want this night to be awful."

"Just don't be awful yourself."

"I try not to… they just always bring out that side of me."

"I know. You can't control them, but don't' let them get to you. You're better than that." Rubbing his hands up and down her arms, he smiled. "You're Lorelai Gilmore: amazing manager, friend, and mother."

At his words, she couldn't help the pull of her lips upward.

"And you're one hell of a girlfriend if I do say so myself." He added, pulling her tighter against him.

"Feel free to say so all you want." Rising onto her tip toes, she kissed him softly and pulled back with a smile. "I'll be ready to go in a few minutes."

Unable to resist, he went in for one last soft peck before releasing her. "I'll go make sure that Rory's ready."

"Thanks, babe." Grabbing the dress, she looked at it before calling out, "Hey, Luke."

Just having reached the door, he let go of the handle and turned back to her. "Yeah?"

"Zip me up before you leave?"

A grin immediately appearing on his face, Luke walked back over and trailed his hands up her back. "Always."

* * *

"To ring the bell or not to ring the bell; that is the question." Lorelai frowned as they walked up to the door.

"Well, unless you plan on standing out in this cold all night, I'm ringing the bell."

As he reached out, she grabbed his wrist and pulled it back. "Wait!"

"Why?"

"Just give me one second." Taking a deep breath, she looked down at Rory who was bouncing from foot to foot. "Are you ready, hon?"

"Mhmmm." Rory nodded with a smile.

Releasing her breath in a whoosh, Lorelai straightened up and let go of Luke's hand. "Alright… ring the bell."

As they were guided in by the maid, Lorelai felt Luke's hand move to the small of her back in a sign of reassurance. Smiling small, she looked at him, and he sent one in return as they met Emily and Richard in the living room.

"Hello, Lorelai, Luke, Rory," Richard greeted them jovially. "I'm glad we could finally get together."

"Hi, Dad. We are too," Lorelai answered, the last part not coming out as convincing as the first. Deciding to be the bigger person, she addressed her mother. "Hello, mom."

"Hello, Lorelai, Luke. Hello, Rory," She answered cordially.

"Hi, Grandpa! Hi, Grandma," Rory exclaimed, giving each of them a hug and bouncing back to take a seat in the chair across from them.

"Alright." Richard clapped his hands together. "Can I get anyone a drink?"

"I'll take a martini with olive. Luke?" Lorelai answered as she and Luke sat down awkwardly on the couch.

"I'll just have water."

Richard looked back at him curiously. "Driving home?" At Luke's nod, he continued. "Good man… and for my wonderful granddaughter?"

"Do you have apple juice?"

"I'm not sure, Rory. Emily, do we have apple juice?"

Already rising to her feet, Emily nodded. "I'm sure we do. I'll get Eva to bring some."

As soon as everyone was settled with their drinks, the room fell into an awkward silence. "So, uh, Dad," Lorelai spoke up hesitantly. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I'd have to say that I am feeling quite well. I had some rehab to do with my hand from the torn tendons and my collarbone region was sore for a while, but as of this moment, I am feeling just fine."

"That's good to hear," she answered, a genuine smile gracing her face.

"How were your holidays? Was business busy?" He asked, clearly addressing the both of them.

"They were good… The inn was pretty busy, as it usually is with the holiday season, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

"And for you, Luke?" Richard questioned again.

From the way he was looking at him, Luke could tell Richard was expecting a specific answer. "Well, the diner was busier than usual with tourists and families coming to town. If anything, it has done better these past few weeks."

"Wonderful," Richard concluded, holding up his glass in salute.

As the men continued chatting, Lorelai eyed her mother out of the corner of her eye. Emily was being oddly quiet, and she wasn't sure what to make of it.

The quietness was short lived, however, when the conversation turned to holiday activities.

"Did you do anything special for Christmas or the New Year, Lorelai? Rory mentioned once that your town has numerous celebrations." Richard questioned, recalling the information Rory told him during his town visit months prior.

Wanting to divulge as few details as possible, Lorelai thought for a moment. "Well, we had a lazy day for Christmas, but we went to the church service that night because it was one of Luke's traditions… For New Years, we didn't do much during the day because Luke had to work." Feeling satisfied with her answer, she settled back into the couch, but as expected, her mother was ready to prod for more.

"You didn't attend a party," she questioned, with something other tan shock hiding in her voice. If Lorelai heard correctly, it sounded a lot like baiting. "I assumed that quaint town of yours would put together a _grand_ celebration with dancing and eating and, what is it they call it nowadays, boozing?"

Rolling her eyes, Lorelai took a long swig of her drink. "There was a party, but we didn't go because we wanted to spend time with Rory. Plus, Luke didn't want to go out in the first place. We went ice skating, and we spent the rest of the night at home. There was no _boozing_ involved."

Catching one word in her daughter's response, Emily arched her brow. "Home?" She interjected quickly, shifting her gaze to Richard and back again.

The glimmer in her mother's eye caught her guard. Running through her answer again and realizing what she just revealed, Lorelai tensed, her hand on Luke's knee gripping him tighter. "Yes… our home."

"Mrs. Gilmore. Diner is ready." The maid chimed in quietly.

"Thank you, Eva." Emily responded plainly as she stood up. Walking into the dining room, she kept her eyes on Lorelai who was noticeably looking everywhere but at her.

Settling into her seat, Lorelai gripped her napkin tightly under the table, preparing for the battle she assumed was coming.

"I'm assuming _our home_ doesn't just mean you and Rory, does it, Lorelai?" Emily spoke up as soon as she was settled.

"No it doesn't," Lorelai responded quickly. "But the words _cordial family dinner_ also don't imply talking about something I already know you disapprove of and fighting about it, yet here we are."

"We are not fighting, Lorelai, I was merely asking you a question."

"Yes, but you were asking a question you already knew the answer too and knew would aggravate me, so to me, it sounds like you are looking for a fight."

At the same time, Luke and Richard spoke up. "Lorelai," Luke warned quietly, squeezing her leg below the table. "Emily." Richard wore a stern look.

Both women slowly backed down with a quiet sigh, and Lorelai began to eat as Emily took a sip of her wine.

"So, Rory," Richard spoke up and changed the subject as he took a hold of his fork. "Have you done a lot of reading during your time off of school."

"Mhmmm," Rory hummed through a mouth full of food, getting an eyeroll from her grandmother. Swallowing quickly, she smiled. "I've read lots of books, and Mommy and Daddy Luke got me some for Christmas, so I have more to read."

"Wonderful. Have you liked one the best?"

"I like "Where the Wild Things Are." Mommy said that she read it when she was little." She answered, taking a quick bite of food.

"I remember that," He confirmed. "In fact, I think I still have her copy in my office."

Lorelai looked at him with slight surprise, her mind flashing back to a sudden memory she had forgotten, or at least she thought she did.

* * *

" _Mommy, I don't want to go to bed!" Seven-year-old Lorelai exclaimed, frowning and poking out her lip. Scurrying off the bed, she ran quickly into her bathroom and locked the door._

" _Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, you come back out here this instant!" Emily yelled through the door. As much as she jiggled the handle, the door wouldn't budge._

" _I'm not sleepy yet!" Lorelai cried back through the door, still not opening it._

 _Sighing heavily, Emily marched out of the room, grabbed Richard from theirs, and brought him back in. Gesturing to the bathroom door, she spoke frustrated. "See if you can reason with your daughter. She is being particularly disobedient tonight."_

 _As Emily walked out the room, Richard knocked loudly on the bathroom door and called sternly, "Lorelai, open this door. It's time for bed."_

" _I don't want to go to bed, Daddy! I'm not sleepy."_

 _Sighing, he shook his head. They had been having this fight with Lorelai for the past month every single night. "You never are, Lorelai..." Reaching above the doorframe, he grabbed the secret key he had made to unlock the door. Opening the door, he saw Lorelai crouched under the sink, her knees pulled up to her chest._

 _When she saw him appear, she immediately buried her face in her arms. "I don't want to go to bed!"_

 _Walking over, Richard reached down and picked her up. "Lorelai, it's your bed time. You have to." Carrying her back in, he put her on the bed and pulled the blanket over her. "Now you stay put. I'll come back in here to check on you in a few minutes, and you better still be in this bed."_

 _Before he could walk out the room, he heard her call quietly, "Daddy, will you read with me? Mommy doesn't like to." As he turned back, he saw her on her knees, reaching over to her night stand and grabbing a book._

 _Shifting his eyes to the clock, he found that it said 8:30. "Lorelai, it's late for you." He frowned_

 _Looking up at him with wide eyes, Lorleai poked out her bottom lip again. "Please Daddy?"_

 _Something about the look in her eyes made him unable to say no to her. "Alright, Lorelai." Walking back over, he sat down on the bed beside her, and took the book. "I'll read but you have to lay down."_

 _With a happy sigh, she laid back down against her pillow smiling happily. "Okay!"_

" _Where The Wild Things Are... The night Max wore his wolf suit..." Going from page to page, Richard found himself changing voices for characters. Each time, Lorelai giggled, inching closer to him to see the pictures. By the end of the story, she was curled up against him, reading the words with him._

" _The end," they both spoke at the same time._

" _Alright, Lorelai. We've read. Now it's time for you to go to bed."_

 _To his surprise, she didn't put up a fight. "Okay." She agreed, laying back on her pillow, still smiling._

 _Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, Lorelai."_

" _Goodnight, Daddy."_

* * *

"You still have "Where the Wild Things Are"? You have it in your office?" Lorelai questioned, surprise filling her voice

"Of course. Books belong on bookshelves, Lorelai." Richard responded plainly. "We read it a few times, remember?" He could see it on her face that she had the same memory he did

Looking down with a smile, she answered, "Yeah, Dad. I do."

Much to Lorelai's surprise, the rest of dinner went off without a real hitch, but she also noted her mother's lack of conversation and critical eye on her and Luke.

Placing his silverware down, Richard spoke up. "Well, I have to say, that was a lovely dinner you planned, Emily. Now I think I'd like to have a moment in my study. Luke would you care to join me?"

The alarms immediately began goon going off in Lorelai's head. Her hand already in his under the table, she tightened her grip. "Uh, Dad? Is that really necessary?" She questioned, not really wanting to be without Luke and also having the feeling deep in her stomach that they were trying to split them up.

"Lorelai, you said that you wanted this to be a normal dinner. Surely you've been to enough dinners here to remember that this is customary for me." Richard answered knowingly. Dabbing his mouth with the napkin, he placed it back down and stood up. "So, Luke, if you'd like to join me..."

Reaching out, Luke sat the drink he was holding down quickly. Grabbing the napkin from his lap, he placed it on the table and stood up just as Richard did. "Of course." Walking out, he shot Lorelai a reassuring look to which she could only respond with a smile of her own, but it was a smile, he noted, that didn't come close to reaching her eyes.

* * *

"Scotch?" Richard questioned as the office door closed behind them.

"Uh, no thanks. I'm driving tonight." Luke waved him off, taking a seat uncomfortably across from the desk.

"Oh, yes. I forgot." After pouring himself a glass, Richard sat down heavily in his leather chair. "I'm glad you're putting the well-being of Rory and Lorelai first."

"They always are. I can go without a drink if it means getting them home safely." Luke spoke strongly.

"So, is it safe to assume that all is well in Stars Hollow?"

With narrowed eyes, Luke looked back at Richard curiously. "It is... is there a reason you're asking me even though you already asked Lorelai?"

He looked slightly surprised that he questioned him back, but seeing Lukes neutral face, Richard knew he wasn't going to give. "You and I both know that Lorelai has a tendency to hide things if she believes I won't approve." He spoke knowingly, sitting his glass down on a coaster.

"She does, but she's telling the truth. Everything is fine right now... but you want more information on our living situation, dont you?" Luke smirked. Noting the way Richard didn't waver, his suspicions were confirmed.

"I do...You know, Emily is rather surprised that you are still around." He answered plainly

"Okay."

"I'm not surprised... and I'm even less surprised that you two have taken it further by living together." Richard spoke honestly, lacing his fingers together in front of him. "I would just like to confirm that you know the possible effects of this decision."

"We do, but we're also not worried about them." Luke answered confidently as he straightened up, not fazed by Richards's boldness. "We wouldn't have done it unless we were secure in how we feel about each other."

"And how is it that you feel?" He prodded, sitting back, his arms crossing over his chest.

"Well, sir, I am in love with your daughter, and if she's telling the truth, she feels the same about me." The corners of Luke's lips turned upwards as he thought about them sharing their sentiments in the Jeep before they entered the Gilmore household. "And, to put all of my cards out on the table, I wanted you to know that we will be going further." He took a sip of his water before continuing. "I plan on asking her marry me."

For a moment, a silence fell upon the room before Richard cleared his throat. "Marriage is not to be joked about."

"And I'm not joking," He answered back evenly.

"What brought on this sudden urge for marriage?" Richard questioned, genuinely curious. Knew the couple was solid, but he didn't realized they had progressed so far as to think about making it permanent.

"I'm not sure you could call it sudden," Luke murmured, racking his brain for the exact answer. "I've been thinking about it for a while, and we've even discussed it."

"Did you have a time frame?"

Running his fingers through his hair, Luke found himself suddenly nervous. "Well, our anniversary is in April, so I want to at least wait until then and probably after, but I don't want to wait too long."

"If I may ask, if you don't want to wait, then why wait until after April? Why not ask sooner?"

"Because of Lorelai..."

"Are you afraid she'll say no?" Looking up, Richard thought for a second before chuckling, "Because I have to say, if that's your reasoning, you are, and I mean this in the kindest way possible, being stupid."

Shocked, Luke's eyebrows raised quickly. "Stupid?"

"Now before you get angry, I'm not insulting your overall intelligence. I just have to say, you would have to be completely ignorant to think that Lorelai would say no."

Like Richard, Luke chuckled for a second. "I'm not insulted, I'm just shocked you said the word stupid. It's just seems so..."

"Beneath me?"

"That's a good way to put it."

"I'm just calling it like I see it."

"Well, to answer you, no. I'm not stupid. I'm just being careful." In typical Luke fashion, he rose from his chair and paced the floor slowly as he explained. "I want to ask soon, but I also don't want to stress Lorelai out. We've talked about it, and I know that if I asked her tomorrow, she'd say yes eventually, but she'd also freak out at first. She's got enough on her plate as is, and I don't want to add to that. I know she's not going anywhere, and neither am I, so I can just wait."

"I can respect that... and I'm pleased you have enough respect for my daughter to think it through."

He was rather surprised by Richard's answer. "Are you saying you approve?" Luke questioned, his eyes scanning his face for some sort of hint.

"Yes, I am."

Loudly, Luke released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Okay."

"I do have to ask you one thing, though."

"And that is?"

Holding out his hand as if he was making a deal, Richard leaned forward. "If and when you plan the wedding, make sure Emily and I are invited."

"Oh, okay." Slightly shocked he would think that Lorelai wouldn't invite them, Luke shook his head to clear it and reached out, giving Richard's a stern shake. "I'll make sure it happens."

* * *

As the men conversed in Richards office, Emily, Lorelai, and Rory settled back into the living room. No one spoke up, with Lorelai keeping her eyes on her lap, except for when she kept shooting her eyes over towards her father's study.

Catching her quick glance for the umpteenth time, Emily rolled her eyes. "For heaven's sake, Lorelai, he's not torturing the man. You don't have to keep looking over there like he's being held hostage."

"Well of course not. There's way to many ways to sneak out of that room... He would have taken him to the pantry if he really wanted to keep him from leaving."

"Honestly... Is that really necessary?" Her mother looked at her plainly, pursing her lips in disapproval.

Neither continued, allowing the room to fall into silence again. After around five minutes, Lorelai felt a soft tap on her shoulder. Looking down, she was met with Rory's imploring eyes "Yeah, sweets," Lorelai questioned.

"I've gotta go to the bathroom."

"Okay... you know where it is, right?"

"Yeah." Hopping off the couch, Rory scurried over to the staircase and upstairs.

As soon as she was out of hearing distance, Emily cleared her throat.

Knowing the sound from past experience, Lorelai looked back in front of her quickly. "Yes, mother?"

"I want to discuss something with you."

Something within her already knew where the conversation was going. Lorelai held up her hand. "If this is going to be a lecture on the hazards of living together before marriage now that Rory's out of the room, don't even waist your breath. You're not going to change anything." She warned, crossing her arms across her chest defensively

Taking a sip of her drink, she frowned. "I just can't believe you're willing to do something so foolish."

"So much for wasting your breath," Lorelai muttered.

"You're not even married to the man and you have him sleeping under the same roof as you and your daughter. Not only is it foolish, it is completely irresponsible." Emily reinforced in a stern tone.

Lorelai's eyes immediately narrowed at her. "What do you—-How is it irresponsible?" Questioned, throwing out her hand and narrowly sloshing her wine over the rim of her glass.

"What if something happens?"

Rolling her eyes, she answered, "Oh, I'm sure that's exactly what you're expecting. You're expecting me and Luke to break up."

"My personal opinion on the matter is no issue. Rory seems to care a great deal for Luke, and if the relationship ends, she will be devastated. This situation is not good for Rory." She reinforced

"I don't need you telling me what's good and what's not good for Rory, mother," Lorelai countered her back forcefully. "I thought long and hard about the decision to move Luke in, and Rory was my number one consideration. You don't have to worry about our relationship ending because it's not going to end. Plain and simple."

"And how can you be so sure? Please, Lorelai, enlighten me on how you know the future. This man could leave you tomorrow if he felt like it, and you have put your daughter in a terrible situation if that were to happen."

"Because I just know!" In a long drink, Lorelai downed the rest of her wine before looking straight at her mother's eyes. "I love Luke and Luke loves me. I know you don't want us together, but too bad for you, because we're staying together."

"Is there a ring on your finger?"

"Excuse me?"

"I said, is there a wedding ring on your finger?" Holding up her left hand, Emily showed her ring finger. "Once you have a ring, then that shows commitment. Right now, you're just as good as roommates."

"No, Mom, I'm not wearing a ring, but we've talked about it, and I will be eventually.." At the slight look of shock and horror on Emily's face, Lorelai could barely hold in the smile she wanted to wear. "Like it or not, Luke and I are not only together and living together now, but we will be doing so from here on out. You'll just have to get over it."

* * *

Driving back to Stars Hollow later that evening, Rory was tuckered out in her car seat as Luke drove and Lorelai stared mindlessly out the front windshield.

"So... that wasn't so bad, was it?" Luke glanced over at Lorelai hesitantly.

"It wasn't great... Mom tried to lecture me when you were with Dad about us living together, but I guess it could've been worse." She expected him to ask about the lecture, but he didn't. Looking over at him, saw him shaking his head. "What?"

"You're Dad kind of tried to do the same thing. He didn't lecture me, but he asked about it."

"I knew it!" She exclaimed louder than she should. Quickly, she turned to the back seat to see that Rory was still asleep. Lowering her voice some, she frowned. "I knew that the whole "join me in my study Luke" thing was a plot to separate us." She imitated in her Dads voice. "Why couldn't they just ask us together? It's not like separating us would have changed our answers." Waiting for a second, Lorelai shuffled in her seat before adding a hesitant, "Right?"

Luke shot a small smile her way. "Right."

Moving her whole body, Lorelai turned to face him. "What else did you and Dad talk about?"

"Oh, you know. Typical man things. Apparently, he thought I was one of his business partners with how he talked about meetings and 401ks and policies." He lied, careful not to reveal what they really talked about. In his mind, he was amazed at his ability to create a story. If it wasn't to Lorelai, she would probably be proud that her tactics rubbed off on him.

"Im sorry. I know talking bigwig mumbo jumbo isn't your thing," she frowned sympathetically. Reaching across the console, she placed her hand on his thigh. "And just think. We get to do this once a month, now."

Grabbing her hand before it could wander north, he brought it up to his lips. "I think we'll make it. This might be the start of something good for you."

At the conversations' natural end, they let the Jeep fill with silence.

Suddenly, Luke cleared his throat, causing Lorelai look back at him "It could be worse; we could have to go every Friday night instead."

"Hah," she laughed shortly, shaking her head. "I can only imagine what that would be like."

"I'm sure you'd storm in the diner after closing on the weeks I couldnt make it, and demand coffee to drown your sorrows."

"Would you let me," she questioned him.

"I'm sure you already know the answer to that."

"I don't know. I feel like my persuasion abilities are decreasing these days. You denied me fries the other day, and I was pouting my ass off."

Rolling his eyes, Luke shook his head. "I had already turned off the fryer and cleaned it. I was not turning everything back on for one batch of fries."

"But if my pout was really that effective, it would have worked." Lorelai countered.

"So giving in when you pouted for the first order of fries, pie, and ice cream meant nothing? You are irresistible when you do that and you know it."

From the tone in his voice, she could feel a rant coming on. Trying to keep her voice even, she responded carefully. "I am? I thought the Rory eyes were better than anything I could do."

"Oh please, where do you think she got it from? You can get me to do anything. The pout is just one of your methods. The hair flip, the puppy dog eyes, and not to mention that low blue sweater and flippy skirt you _always_ seem to wear when you want something work too. People used to say that I was the most stubborn person alive and would say no to anyone, but one look from you, and now Im agreeable to anything."

"I had no idea I had such power over you."

"Oh please. You-" Out of the corner of his eye, Luke caught a glimpse of her teasing look and realized she was baiting him. "You know exactly what the hell you do to me." He griped and rolled his eyes.

"Well apparently I do enough to convince you to stick around and to go to monthly dinners at my parents house...So, thanks for giving in." Lorelai thanked him genuinely and smiled small.

"Any time... You know that."

Pulling on his wrist, he released the wheel as she brought it to her lips like he did to hers earlier. "I do… I love you."

"I love you too…"

* * *

 **A/N: Happy Easter, everyone! If you're a Christian, enjoy your celebration of Resurrection Sunday. If you're anything else, I hope you enjoy the day no matter how you celebrate it or whether you celebrate at all!**

 **It's hard to believe that I have almost been working on this story for a year. When I started this story, I honestly had no clue what I was doing and I _definitely_ had no clue that this story would be this big, so THANK YOU! Thank you to all of the followers, favoriters (- I don't think that's a word, but oh well XD), and reviewers. I love and appreciate every single one of you! College has been stressing me out a lot since I started, and I hate that it keeps me from uploading as often as I want, so thank you guys for being so understanding of my random uploads! I hope that once summer comes, I'll get back on some sort of upload schedule. (So, yes, that means I am planning on continuing this story for a while!)**

 **P.S. I'm finally almost back up to my original 40 chapters, so that's good for all of you who can't review on chapters since you've technically already reviewed before! I want to make reviewing easy for you guys as possible, so I hope to hit chapter 41 as soon as possible.**

 **After all that, I just want to say that I hope you enjoy this chapter! If you do, leave a like, or a favorite, or a review! I love to hear everyone's feedback. It totally makes my day, whether good or bad! I like to make this story as great for all of you as I possibly can!**


	37. Chapter 37: GOAL! FOUL! TOUCHDOWN?

**CHAPTER 37: GOAL! FOUL! TOUCHDOWN?**

"Luke, what's a Super Bowl?" Lorelai yelled out as she walked in the door Tuesday evening.

Looking up from the cutting board, Luke sat down his knife, and leaned back against the counter waiting for her to come in the kitchen. When she stepped through the doorway, he frowned. "You know, yelling loudly as soon as you walk in the door isn't the best idea when there's someone in the kitchen using a knife."

Smiling, she plopped down at the table across from him. "And you should know that holding a knife around the time I come home is a bad idea because I'm a loud person who's prone to yelling randomly."

"How irresponsible of me to forget." Rolling his eyes, he went back to chopping. "The Super Bowl is the championship for the NFL. It's between the Giants and the Bills this Sunday..." Stopping again Luke looked back at her with a teasing smirk. "Not that I expect you to know what any of that means."

"Excuse me!" Lorelai faked astonishment with a gasp. "I happen to know somethings." Under his questioning gaze, she smiled. "Okay. I know _one_ thing."

"And that is?"

"That the referees wear black and white shirts instead of blue... Remember? I had to know that for my Halloween costume." In a second, she saw his eyes flicker and grinned as she realized he was remembering that night. "I'm guessing you do, remember, huh?"

Chuckling, he turned back to the cutting board as he shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever forget." When he finished chopping the peppers and onions, he dropped them into the pot of chili on the stove and gave it a stir. Satisfied, he put the spoon down and walked to sit next to her. "So, why are you asking about the super bowl?"

"Apparently there is going to be a party to watch it at Miss Patty's Sunday night. Kirk came up to me and Rory at the library asking if I wanted to bet on the final score."

"Doesn't he know by now that you don't watch sports?"

"He does, but he thought I would want to get in on the action for some reason. I'm not even sure if I'll go to the party." Seeing his gaze shift from her momentarily when she mentioned the party, she cocked her head. "Do you want to go?"

"I've gone in years past, but I'm just gonna watch it here this year." He shrugged nonchalantly. "You didn't drag me to the New Years' Party so I won't drag you to the Super Bowl thing."

"Uh uh." She held up a finger in dispute. "You forget that I, Lorelai Gilmore, can find a way to have fun at any event." At his unsure look, she reached out her hand to take his. "I'm sure either Sookie or Mia wouldn't mind watching Rory for a little while since neither of them like sports either... I want you to have a night where we do what you like not what I like, so let's go."

Unable to come up with an argument to counter, he resigned with a small nod of his head. "Okay." Slowly, he stood up to go tend to the pot on the stove, but before he walked away, he planted a kiss to her lips. "Thanks."

"No problem..." Lorelai smiled at his retreating form. "But you better be prepared to explain everything, otherwise I'll have to stare at the players butts all night like I do when you force me to watch baseball."

Not turning all the way around, he looked back at her with raised eyebrows.

"Or I could just have you stand in front of me all night and stare at yours... but I don't know if I could be trusted to keep my hands to myself in public and that might inspire Patty to do the same." At his groan, she giggled. "That's what I thought."

* * *

Sunday night, Patty's Studio was packed full of football fans. The couches, moved over from the Black, White, and Read Movie Theater, filled the room, and on one couch was where Lorelai found herself next to Luke, with a cup of punch resting in her hand on the arm of the couch.

"So, the Giants and the Bills have the same colors, but they are wearing different color uniforms? Why?" Lorelai questioned.

Sipping at his beer, Luke took his eyes from the screen and looked at her. "Because they need to be able to tell the teams apart. If they wear the same colors, they don't know who to give the ball to."

Frowning, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I just don't think that's fair. What if the Bills wanted to wear blue? Their uniforms are so white and boring."

"I'm sure they'll get over it." Taking his eyes back to the screen, Luke felt a soft tapping on his shoulder a few moments later. "Yes, Lorelai?"

Pointing at the score box at the bottom of the screen that said 9-3, she questioned further, "Why did the Buffalo team just get six points?"

"Because they scored a touchdown."

"But why six? That's such a random number?" She saw the number change to 10-3 and her frown deepened. "Why do they get seven points now?"

Setting his drink down, Luke turned to face her, smirking at the confused look on her face. "Because they made the extra point after the touchdown. They kicked the ball through the upright."

"But why is that kick only worth one when the other is worth three?"

Opening his mouth to answer, he caught himself. Thinking on it for a second, he shook his head and answered honestly. "I don't know..."

Cocking her head with surprise, Lorelai arched an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

"No. I didn't make the rules. I just know them, and a field goal is three points, a touch down is six, and an extra point is one." He shrugged as he explained

"Well that's just stupid." Seeing the game return from commercial, Lorelai watched as the Bills kicked off to the Giants. Her eyes narrowed as the Giants player took a knee in the end zone for a touchback. "Why doesn't he get six points? He caught the ball and he's in the little box thingy."

"It's called the end zone," Luke corrected her, "and he doesn't get a touch down because it's a kick off. His team has to get to the other end zone to score a touchdown."

Sighing, she threw herself unceremoniously and dramatically against the back of the couch. "See, this is why I don't watch football. The rules are confusing. Not even the tight-fitting pants make this worth watching."

Luke chuckled as he watched a small pout form on her face. Reaching out, he took her empty punch cup and stood up. "I'm going to get us some more to drink. I expect you to give me a full play by play of what I missed when I get back." He smirked.

Slapping his abs playfully and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Whatever...I'll remember that next time I leave the living room when _Friends_ is on, and I need you to give me a recap."

In Luke's absence, and not to Lorelai's surprise, Patty took a seat quickly beside her. "So, Lorelai, are you enjoying the party?"

"Yeah… this really isn't my cup of tea, but Luke is having a good time, so…"

"Speaking of that hunk of a man," Patty grinned naughtily, her eyes trailing over and lingering on Luke as he stood in line at the drink table. "I'm assuming things with the two of you are going well."

Laughing at Patty's obvious ogling of Luke, Lorelai nudged her with her elbow. "Remember, look but don't touch."

"Oh, I know. He only has the hots for you my dear." She let her gaze linger a little longer before looking back at Lorelai. "That man is so smitten, he won't give any woman the time of day."

"I can't say that I mind," Lorelai smiled.

"I wouldn't if I were you. I would love for him to give me _all_ of his attention," Patty laughed. "So…is there any news that I should know about? I heard you had dinner with your folks last week."

Shaking her head at her not-so-subtle prodding for information, Lorelai patted Patty's knee. "It was just a regular dinner with family… but if there is _news_ in the future, don't worry, I'll let you know. Eastside Tilly won't get the scoop before you do."

"Thanks, dear, that's very sweet of you." Seeing Luke approaching, Patty stood up quickly. "It was nice talking to you, Lorelai."

Sitting back down in his place, Luke handed her her drink with an arched brow. "What did she want?"

"Nothing but gossip," Lorelai smiled as she shook her head. "Apparently she heard we had dinner with my parents last week and thought that we were making things more… official."

To his luck, Luke's quick tense at her words went unnoticed. Not wanting her to realize that he had actually mentioned something to her father about that very thing, he covered his bases by throwing in his usual eye roll. "I swear, people can't keep their noses in their own business in this town."

"Tell me about it…" Leaning back into his side, Lorelai continued after taking a drink of her punch. "But just so you know, I told Patty that she would get the inside scoop before Tilly, so when it does happen, you better keep your mouth shut…"

"Because I have such a hard time avoiding talking to them now," He scoffed.

"I didn't think so..." Nudging his knee with hers, she pointed back at the TV screen. "So, that guy who has the ball, why does he run through all the other big guys? Why doesn't he turn around and run to the other box-end zone- thing? That seems so much easier?"

* * *

"Goal!"

Luke rolled his eyes as he pulled Lorelai back towards the couch. "For the last time, it's a touchdown."

Plopping down back to her spot beside him, she grinned. "I know that. I just like to see the looks on people's faces when I say it." Resting her head on his shoulder, she spoke a little lower. "Especially yours... you have no idea how sexy frustrated Luke is."

His arm came to rest around her shoulder, and she immediately snuggled into his side, her eyes everywhere but the game. "Then I must be irresistible all the time."

Leaning up, Lorelai brought her lips to the shell of his ear. "You have no idea… What do you say to springing this joint and playing a little game on our own?"

Before she could start what he assumed she was about to do, Luke turned his head quickly and planted a kiss to her lips. "You're drunk."

With an offended look, Lorelai countered, "I'm not drunk."

"Oh really? Then what do you call this?" He raised his eyebrows and gestured to her.

"Honestly, I'm not. I'm a little buzzed off my punch, but I'm not drunk." Noticing no one else was looking, she stole a quick but hard kiss. "I've just got the hots for ya," She replied saucily with a grin as she pulled back

"Well keep those hots and your hands to yourself until we get back home." He chuckled, stopping her hand that was slowly riding up his thigh.

Pouting, turned to where she could lean back against him. "Fine, but once we shut Rory's door tonight, you're mine."

"Looking forward to it."

The final quarter passed quickly, and the clock finally showed there was around two minutes left in the game. Luke along with many of the other men, had gathered closer to the TV. As the Giants made a field goal to take the lead, the entire group groaned and yelled, and Luke stomped heavily over to the couch.

Smiling at him, she patted the seat beside her in invitation. "I'm guessing whatever just happened on the screen was not good."

Not even taking the time to show his displeasure at her teasing, Luke sat down heavily. "The Bills were a favorite by 7! They don't have a damn reason to be behind like this!"

"Maybe they were afraid to hurt the Giants feelings by winning, so they're letting them win."

Looking at her with a leer, he spoke roughly. "Are you trying to be cute?"

"Yep, and I can tell by the look on your face that it's working." She noted teasingly and grabbed his hand. Taking her eyes back to the TV, she pointed to the clock. "Relax, babe. The TV says they have 2:16 left. That's enough time for the quarterback to score a kick or something to make them win right?"

He couldn't help the upturn of his lips at her attempt to console him. "You couldn't be more wrong in what you just said, but thanks for trying to console me." Quickly out of his bad mood, he planted a kiss on her lips watched the rest of the game with hope that they Bills could pull it off.

Luke's hope was short lived, though, when the Bills missed a game winning field goal. "Well there goes my bet." He grumbled

Looking at him with surprise, her jaw dropped. "You bet on the game? What happened to your "bets are stupid" rant."

"Bets are stupid everywhere but sports." Shifting in his seat, he continued grouchily. "I swear if Bootsy beats me again this year, I might throw him through a wall."

Seeing a slight pout form on his lips, Lorelai couldn't help but laugh and patted his knee. "Well, look over there and find out Bootsy's fate. It looks like Patty is going through prediction sheet thingies."

They both turned, as did the rest of the party, and watched in anticipation as Patty looked through the entries. A minute or so in, she began to laugh. "Babette come over here! You won't believe this!" The blonde scrambled over to stand by Patty and looked at the bottom of the first sheet and immediately started cackling. "No way!"

Sitting the sheet to the side, they went through the rest of the bets quickly and picked the sheet back up. Speaking through another laugh, Patty announced, "Well, everyone. We have one person who got the score spot on..."

From somewhere in the crowd, someone called out "Who the hell was dumb enough to pick the Giants to win!"

"Can it, Bootsy!" Babette yelled back then cackled a laugh. "You're just a sore loser!"

"Anyway, as I was saying," Patty continued smoothly, "Picking 20 for the Giants and 19 for the Bills, Lorelai won!" Began to laugh.

A unanimous sigh and groan filled the room as Lorelai fist pumped and jumped up. "Wooo! Yeah! Who knew this sports thing could be so fun!" Walking over she took her winnings. Sticking her tongue out, she called, "Take that, Bootsy! You can all now bow to me, Queen Lorelai, the master at all things football."

When she walked back over to the couch and stood in front of him, Luke looked up at her with a frown. "You have got to be kidding me... how the hell did you come up with that score?"

"Because I can predict the future!" At his raised eyebrows she smiled and nudged his knees together and plopped in his lap.

His cheeks immediately flushed. "Lorelai..." he warned as she wiggled to get comfortable, "There are people here."

"And a majority of them too drunk to care." She smiled, kissing him quickly. "I picked my numbers because 20 is my favorite number, and I think Giants are better than Buffalos, so I gave that number to them. I asked Rory to pick a number for the other score and she said 19 because she was on page 19 of her book."

"You're kidding me?"

"Nope. Completely serious." Lorelai giggled. "Trust the process babe."

Luke shook his head but couldn't keep the grin off his face. "You never cease to amaze me."

"And I never will..." Giving him a soft kiss and hopping off his lap, she extended her hand to him. "Come on, doll, let's go home."

* * *

Back at home, they saw Sookie off and tucked Rory in. As they climbed the stairs together, Lorelai leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Tonight was fun." She spoke quietly

"It wasn't bad..." He squeezed her waist. "But I'm sure it was good for you because racked up on your random bet."

"What can I say? A little extra money never hurt anyone." She shrugged. Falling back on the bed heavily as they entered their room, Lorelai watched Luke as he changed. "Luke?"

"Huh?" Luke replied, quickly pulling his shirt over his head and looking at her.

"You know that whole "You're mine when Rory's door closes" thing I mentioned earlier?"

"Yeah."

Propping herself up on one her elbows, she traced the outline of a shape on their comforter before questioning, "Can we take a rain check?"

Chuckling, he walked over to lay beside her. "Alcohol finally getting to you?"

She held up fingers showing a little space between them. "Just a little."

"It's fine; I've got to open tomorrow anyway."

As she started to get off the bed to change herself, Luke reached out for her and tugged her back down, making her squeal with laughter. "Luke!"

Moving over her, he planted a hard kiss to her lips. "But tomorrow, you're mine."

"I thought you were supposed to be mine?"

Luke shook his head and kissed her again. "You're the one who asked for the rain check, so you lose your claim...Unless you have something better to do tomorrow."

"To do?" A naughty grin immediately grew on her face. "Dirty..."

With an eye roll, he moved off of her. Patting her ass as she stood up, he smirked. "Get ready for bed, crazy lady."

Lorelai changed and brushed her teeth quickly. Coming back into the bedroom, she dove under the covers immediately and curled up behind him. She laughed quietly as she heard him hiss when her cold feet burrowed under his legs, but not saying anything else or trying to move away, Luke laid quietly in acceptance of her body curled around his.

Waiting until she heard his breathing even out, a sure sign that he was almost asleep, she called out quietly, "Hey, Luke?"

"Huh?" He answered drowsily

"Good night." She waited a few moments before adding in another. "Hey, Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

He squeezed her hand that was wrapped around his waist. "I love you too."

"Hey, Luke?"

Turning over, he looked at her questioningly. "Yes, Lorelai?"

Unable to help it, she smiled at him with bright eyes. "I'm a winner. I kicked your butt in the sports thing today."

Rolling his eyes, he closed them and pulled her closer. "You just got lucky."

"And apparently tomorrow night I am going to, too."

"You can count on it." Planting a kiss to her forehead, he ran a hand through her curls. "Now go to sleep or I'm gonna wake you up with me."

"Good night, Luke."

"Good night, Lorelai."

* * *

Luke woke up slowly to a still darkened room. Something in him knew it wasn't time for him to wake up yet, but he wasn't sure why he was awake. After a moment, he finally registered something poking at his foot. Looking down at the end of the bed, he saw Rory's form and sat up quickly. "Rory?"

Though barely audible, he heard her sniffle as she walked over to his side. "I had a bad dream. I tried to get mommy, but she wouldn't wake up." She whimpered.

Reaching out to turn on the lamp, he immediately saw tears on her face and still pooled in her eyes. The sound and sight of her tugged at his heart. Holding out his arms, he motioned her to him. "Come here, princess."

When one of his arms came around her, he her tightly as she let herself cry. As she buried her face in his neck, he reached over with one hand, nudging Lorelai to get her awake.

After a few seconds, she groaned. "I went to sleep when you said. You better have a damn good reason for waking me this early."

"It's Rory."

As soon as the words left his lips, she shot up in bed. "What about Rory?" She spoke alarmed, still trying to get her bearings in the darkened room brushed her hair out of her face. After taking a second, she finally noticed the soft cry and looked over at him to see Rory looking at her. "Oh, Rory, come here."

To neither of their surprise, Rory scrambled over to her. "Shhhhh, it's okay." Lorelai soothed. "It's okay. Mommy's got you." Finally, she looked back up at Luke. "What happened?"

Wearing a concerned look, he informed her, "She had a nightmare."

"It's been a while since she's had one." Looking down, she pulled Rory back from her shoulder. "You had a bad dream, huh?"

"Yeah," she whined softly with a nod. "I was by myself and someone was chasing me and I couldn't find you or Daddy Luke."

"I'm sorry, sweets," Lorelai answered quietly, planting a soft kiss to her forehead. "It was all a dream, though. Nothing bad happened to you. I'm right here and so is Daddy Luke."

Reaching his hand out, Luke ran his hand up and down Rory's back as Lorelai pulled her tighter, and they soothed her til her tears stopped.

As her tears and cries subsided, Lorelai leaned Rory back and brushed the hair stuck to her face gently back. "Are you okay now?"

Rory nodded almost imperceptibly

"Do you want to go back downstairs, or do you want to crash up here with us tonight?"

"With you..." Rory looked over at Luke hesitantly

Seeing Rory's look, Lorelai questioned him. "Are you okay with that, babe?"

Without a thought, he scooted over to make more room in the middle of the bed. "You know I am..." Patting the spot next to him in invitation, he continued, "Come on, Rory. Between me and your mom, I don't think any more nightmares will get to you tonight."

She smiled small and crawled to burrow in between them. Laying back on the pillow, she looked up at Lorleai, expecting her to do the same. When Lorelai did the same, Rory immediately burrowed into her chest. After a few minutes, much faster than they expected, the soft snores of Rory filled the room as Luke and Lorelai looked at each other across the pillows "Thanks Luke," she whispered.

Reaching out, he took her hand that was draped across her pillow. "I told you when I moved in that I would be fine if this ever happened."

"I know... It's just nice to see a promise come to fruition."

"Don't worry, they always will." He reassured her, and a smile came across her face to match his; a smile that they both wore as they drifted off to sleep as well.

* * *

Later in the morning, Luke woke up with weight against him, but it was lighter than usual. Looking over, he saw Rory curled up against him, her fist holding tight grip on his shirt. In the night, Lorelai curled up behind her, an arm thrown protectively around her, and, consequently, partially over his waist too. Shifting slowly and sliding off the bed, he turned to see them both sleeping soundly. In that moment, he was thankful that Rory was off of school because of a teacher work day and Lorelai was off to spend it with her. After the night they had, they needed the rest. Pulling the covers back over them, he quietly grabbed his clothes and headed to get ready, though he really didn't want to leave them at all.

As the clock struck 8, Caesar walked in the door of the diner. Seeing that the crowd had died down, and, knowing it probably wouldn't start growing again until later in the day, Luke finished the orders he took, and turned the business over to Caesar for the morning, letting him know that he'd be back in a while. Making it back home, Luke was relieved to find that the girls were still asleep, and decided to make breakfast, hoping that a morning in would start they day off right for them.

While cooking, Rory came padding downstairs and into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. Wordlessly, she walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Putting the egg down that he was about to crack, Luke reached down and rubbed her back. "Bad night, huh?"

She nodded in agreement against him, still clearly waking up.

"You know, if you want to go lay down for a little bit, I'll come get you when the toast is ready."

Much to his surprise, her grip tightened around him as she shook her head no.

"Is there anything you want to do?"

Looking up at him hesitantly, she spoke shyly. "Can I help?"

"Help what? Help me cook?"

"Yeah."

Looking around at what he was making, he didn't think anything would be too dangerous for her. "Uh, sure."

"Can we use my stuff you got me for my birthday?"

"If you want."

The light that appeared in her eyes at that moment looked so much like Lorelai, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I'll be back," she perked up as she turned away. "Don't do anything without me!"

Minutes later, she appeared at his side wearing her apron, carrying her bowl and whisk. "I'm ready!"

Taking the bowl and whisk from her, Luke laid them down then pulled up a chair for her to stand in. "Okay... we're making French toast. Have you ever helped Sookie make it before?"

"No." She frowned. "But you can teach me, right?"

"You got it, kid." Luke smiled. Grabbing two eggs from the fridge, he sat on down and held one out to her. "Can you crack an egg?"

"No."

"Okay. Then I'll teach you." Picking his egg up, he tapped it lightly on the edge of the bowl and cracked it into the bowl smoothly. "All you have to do is tap it a little, and when it is cracked some, you open it from there."

Looking down at the bowl to see the egg, she looked back up and eyed him warily. "I dont know if I can do that."

"Sure you can," He countered. Moving her hand towards the bowl, Luke pushed, "Just try it. If you mess up, we can fix it."

Reaching out slowly, she tapped the egg on the edge, making a good-sized crack. As she tried to break it open, part of the shell broke and followed the egg into the mix. "Oh no!" Rory gasped. A frown immediately taking over her face, she sighed. "I'm sorry, Daddy Luke."

Grabbing a fork quickly, he fished out the shell pieces while reaching out a hand to pat her shoulder softly. "It's okay, Rory. Shells aren't a big deal. It's easy to scoop them out. You'll get the hang of it. It takes practice."

Grabbing the cinnamon, vanilla, and milk for the rest if the mixture, he laid them down and handed the whisk out to her. "Alright, now I'm going to pour the rest of the ingredients in, and you stir. Can you do that?"

Excited for a task she already knew she could do, she nodded happily. "Yep!"

As they worked, Lorelai strolled in to the room, but saying nothing, neither of them noticed. Taking a seat at the far side of the table, she just watched them and noted Rory's attentiveness and eyes wide with awe and Luke's soft-spoken directions.

They went through the rest of the steps to make the egg mix and finally began cooking the toast. Down to the final slice, Luke looked down at Rory who was wearing a big smile. "Here's the hard part again. Are you ready to flip it?"

Taking her little hand and putting it on the spatula with his, she agreed. "Mhmmm."

"Okay, one, two, three." In a quick motion, they flipped the slice over.

"Yay! We did it!" Rory exclaimed.

Seeing them together tugged at Lorelai's heart strings, filling her with love and... something else. She didn't know what, but the feeling was good. As she clapped softly, they both turned around to her, Luke suddenly wearing an embarrassed look. "Bravo, my kitchen masters. You should have your own tv show."

"We cooked French toast, Mommy!" Rory exclaimed, getting down from the chair and running over.

Welcoming her daughters embrace, Lorelai smiled. "I saw hon. I bet it's gonna taste really good."

"It is!"

"Why don't you go wash your hands to clean them off all the cooking stuff on them and we'll sit down to eat after?"

"Okay!"

As Rory ran off to the bathroom, Lorelai stood up and walked to Luke who stood with his hands shoved in his pockets. "So I guess the grumpy diner man has turned into an in-house cooking, nice Daddy Luke..."

Nodding bashfully, he ran a hand through his hatless head of hair. "Yeah."

Pulling his other hand from his pocket, Lorelai put it on her waist and leaned up to kiss him. "You're so good with her. I know I tell you all the time, but you really are. Nightmares usually scare the hell out of her for the next day, but she isn't even acting like it happened. She's happy, Luke, and you made her that way." At his inability to hide it, she saw the bashful smile appear on his lips. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yeah it does," Luke squeezed her waist. Slipping in a warm, soft kiss before the sound of little footsteps filled the room, Luke reached behind him for one of the French toast plates and handed it to her, chuckling softly as her eyes widened and lit up at the foods appearance. "Come on, let's eat. You've got a fun day to spend with Rory to get ready for."

* * *

 **A/N: Wasn't this a sweet chapter? I loved writing it, and I really hope you enjoyed it!**

 **This chapter was a big pile of fluff, but I wanted to write it because we are about to dive into a MUCH AWAITED story line. Any guesses on what it is? I'm sure you already suspect, and I hope I can do it justice!**

 **XOXO S**


	38. Chapter 38: Valentine's Day

**CHAPTER 38: Valentine's Day**

"Luke's"

"Why does everybody and their brother want to come to an inn for Valentine's Day? And why did everyone think that 12:30 in the afternoon and the minutes after were the only times they could call to make a reservation, making me miss my lunch break?" Lorelai sighed, as she edited the reservation book for the third time that afternoon.

Luke opened his mouth to respond, but paused for a second before asking, "Is that rhetorical or am I actually supposed to answer."

"It was rhetorical... I need food." With another sigh, she shifted to whining mode, and Luke smirked, knowing that her bottom lip was probably poking out. "The coffee I had for breakfast is wearing off and I'm getting grouchy."

"Why don't you come to the diner now instead of talking to me on the phone and complaining about how much you want to be at the diner?" He reasoned.

"Because I only have enough time to make this call. In about a minute and a half, I have to meet with the new maid and train her because Mia asked me to since Janie is out today."

Looking around, he took in the slightly busy diner. The lunch rush was heading towards it's end, but it wasn't quite there yet. "Do you want me to bring you something?"

Though he couldn't see her, she bit her lip in contemplation. "Only if it's not busy. I don't want to take you away if you need to be there."

Luke looked at his watch. "I can't get away yet, but it won't be as busy in about 20 minutes. If I cook everything quickly, I can probably be there in a little over half an hour."

"That works perfectly for me," Lorelai spoke brightly, suddenly happy. "I have about a 15-minute break between 1:30 and 1:45, and I can eat then!"

Chuckling at her excitement over something so small, he confirmed, "I'll make sure I get it to you by then, then."

"Thanks, babe. You're the best."

Sure enough, about 40 minutes later at 1:25, Luke marched up the stairs of the inn and entered to see Lorelai standing behind the desk, filling out some sort of form and snacking on what looked like a pack of cookies. "Excuse me. I was looking for my girlfriend. She called me complaining about being starving, but since you've got crackers, there's no way you're her."

Quickly, Lorelai looked up. "Hey!" She exclaimed happily and dropped the cookie onto the wrapper, wiping her hands. "Sorry. I was starting to feel kinda bad and shaky, so I had to get something in me. That was the first cookie though, so you caught me before I stuffed myself."

"Please tell me that is a new pack of cookies and not the old one you have from the movies a few months ago." He frowned.

"Uhhh," She eyed the bag warily as she gazed down at it. Turning it over, she couldn't find a date. "I'm not sure, but they taste fine, so..." She smiled, shrugging her shoulders carelessly.

"Your eating disgusts me."

"And if there's ever a day that it doesn't, I'll be concerned..." Reaching out, she grabbed the bag and looked inside. "Ooo, burger and fries, just what I wanted." With a grin, she pulled out a fry after she stopped digging, popping it in her mouth.

"I figured it was a pretty safe bet since you didnt tell me what you wanted." Luke shrugged

Walking around the desk, she hugged him tightly before pulling back. "Thanks, Luke," she smiled and placed a quick kiss to his lips "I owe you big time."

"I'll add it to the list." He smiled back. Releasing her hips, he looked back at the door. "Well, I guess I better ge-."

"Did you want to join me? I hate that I couldn't come by for lunch to see you longer." She cut him off, her eyes imploring.

Luke knew from the look on her face that it was more than just a question, it was a hopeful question. They hadn't seen as much of each other in the past few days as they wanted. "Do _you_ want me to join you?"

"Will you?"

"Yeah."

Her smile growing even brighter, Lorelai took a hold of his hand and pulled him along behind her. "Come on, I know just the place."

Luke found himself being pulled inside the potting shed to the old couch. "You want to eat in here?" He didn't realize the question came out of his mouth until he heard her start to answer

"Yeah. It's away from everyone, but close enough for me not to have to leave my lunch break early to travel back to the inn." Lorelai dropped the bag on the center cushion and sat next to it, leaning back against the arm to face where he took his seat. "Plus, this couch has never done us wrong, you know?"

His mind flashed back to the night they got together and to the few hot and heavy make out sessions they experienced when Rory wasn't around. "Oh, I know..." he agreed with a smirk. Reaching out, he pulled on her legs, bringing her feet into his lap. Removing her shoes, worked his fingers across her soles and all the way down to her heels.

"Mmmm, that feels nice," Lorelai hummed as she took a bite of her fries. "You cooked me a meal and you're giving me a massage on my break... I think you win my favorite boyfriend of the day award."

Luke snorted a laugh. "What an honor."

"If I were you, I'd sound more excited..." She threw a fry at him. "If you're not careful, you may lose your spot to someone else."

He grabbed the fry from the cushion, and plopped it in his mouth, making her jaw drop. He was about to say something when her eyes grew wide and she jumped up with a scream.

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Oh my gosh" she backed away quickly

Luke was scared so bad, his heart felt like it stopped. "Lorelai, what the hell!?" He yelled as he jumped up too, grabbing a hold of her.

She pointed wildly as she spoke frantically. "There's a spider on the couch! It was right next to your head!"

With his heart rate finally coming down, he looked to see the tiny black jumping spider. "You just scared the shit out of me over that spider," He questioned her, his voice laced with disbelief.

"It's so big! Get it out! Get it out!" She took another step back from the couch

Rolling his eyes, Luke reached down and grabbed a napkin from the bag that was now on the floor. "All that over a damn spider," he grumbled as he captured it and took it back outside. He came back in to see Lorelai still eying the couch warily. Shaking his head, he walked over and grabbed her hand. "Sit back down and eat. The spider is gone, and you don't have much time."

Lorelai sat down slowly, still looking around her to make sure there weren't others. She released a loud breath as she grabbed the bag and brought it back to her lap, and Luke brought her feet back to his. "Okay, it's official. You're not boyfriend of the day, you're boyfriend of the year, maybe even the decade."

He chuckled as he watched her hesitantly take a bite of her burger. "If I knew that was all I had to do to win you over, I would have brought a spider in the house a long time ago."

If looks could kill, the glare she shot at him would have done it. Grabbing another fry, she threw it at him again. "And if you ever do, said spider will join you on the couch for a night or two"

Taking in her no-nonsense glare, he raised his hands in surrender and shook his head, "Point taken."

As Lorelai continued to eat, they chatted casually, discussing everything from Rory's latest library pick to the parking dispute between Taylor and Patty's dance studio. Before she knew it, her 15, turned 20, minute lunch break was up. Rising from the couch with a loud groan, she slipped her shoes back on and reached out for Luke, placing a soft kiss to his lips. "Thanks for coming all the way out here and bringing me lunch."

"The whole mile I had to drive to get here was hard. I almost didn't make it," He teased, lacing his fingers through hers.

"I can only imagine the difficulty..." She smiled as she started walking out the door and following the pathway back to the inn. "So, I know you're gonna be home late tonight, but it's not Gilmore Girl movie night without our favorite Danes man... Are you gonna feel up to it, or do you just want us to watch something without you?"

"I wont be tired, but what about Rory? Doesn't she have school in the morning?"

"Yeah, but she doesn't have to watch the whole movie. Just as long as she gets to watch some of it with you there, she'll be happy."

The fact that his presence meant so much to not only Lorelai but Rory as well still brought a smile to his face. "Then go ahead and wait. I'll close as fast as I can..." They made it to the back door where he planted a quick but meaningful kiss on her lips. "Now go work. I'll see you tonight."

Lorelai gave him one last peck. "Thanks again for the lunch date. See you tonight, babe..." She added in with one final squeeze to his hand.

"See you later." After watching her head back inside, he walked around to the front As he was walking to his truck, he heard his name called.

"Lucas!"

Luke turned quickly to see Mia walking towards him. "Hey, Mia."

"It's the middle of the day. What brings you here?"

"Oh, uh, the diner wasn't really full so decided to bring Lorelai some lunch."

She smiled knowingly. "You decided to or Lorelai asked you too?"

Chuckling, he shook his head. "You caught me, she asked me too. She missed her lunch break."

"Again?" Mia frowned. "Im gonna have to talk to her. I hate that she's been so busy this week. I've had some business in Hartford to deal with, so she's been running everything for me…I hope she's not running herself too tired. She's got that gorgeous girl of hers to take care of."

"She seems to be fine... if my opinion means anything," Luke shrugged. "She's a little tired, yeah, but it's nothing she can't handle."

"Well if you say so, then I have to believe it. You can read her better than anyone..." A small smile grew on her face as she took on a mischievous tone in her voice. "Speaking of reading her, you know, Lucas, this Sunday is Valentine's day. Has she dropped any hints for you, son?"

"Mia..." he warned

She raised her hands in surrender. "I'm not meddling, I just wanted to let you know, if you need someone to watch Rory while you to lovebirds have a night out, I'm available. With this crazy week, I'm sure it will be nice for Lorelai to have a night with you."

He thought on it for a second. In his mind, it didn't sound like a bad idea. "That sounds great actually, but she's not my kid to be pawning off."

"Well you talk to Lorelai. A night with Rory every once in a while helps keep me young." She grinned, patting his shoulder. "I'm gonna get inside to try to give Lorelai a break. Let me know what she says."

* * *

Shutting the driver's side door of the truck, Luke saw Mia and Rory walking out into yard when he arrived at the house.

Catching sight of him at the same time, Rory gasped. "Daddy Luke!" Releasing Mia's hand, she ran over, her book bag jingling as she moved, and threw herself into a hug. "Hi!"

"Hey, Rory," he smiled, squeezing her back. "Are you ready to spend the night with Mia?"

"Yeah!" She nodded as she answered animatedly, "We're gonna play Candyland and watch _The Princess Bride_!"

"That sounds great, kid..." Without giving her a reason, Luke stuck out his hand to Rory. Her face immediately crinkled in confusion, making him smile. "Come with me for a second before you leave."

"Okay."

Pulling her along, they walked over to the truck while she questioned, "Daddy Luke, what are we doing?"

Instead of explaining, he opened the passenger door and pulled out a pink and red stuffed bear.

Her hands flying up to her face, Rory gasped, "Is that for me?"

"It is," he nodded as handed it to her. "I know I'm celebrating Valentine's Day with your mom, but I thought you might want something too."

Grabbing it quickly, she squeezed it tightly immediately, then squeezed his leg in another hug. "Thank you, Daddy Luke!"

Unable to help it, he squeezed her back. "You're welcome Rory."

"Can I go show Mommy?" She questioned both adults standing by, her eyes imploring.

"Go ahead, but hurry. I think your mommy and Luke have somewhere to be soon." Mia nodded. Before she could even finish, Rory scrambled back through the yard and up the stairs.

With Rory gone into the house, Mia stepped closer to Luke and looked at him with a grin that made him duck his head. "That was very kind of you."

"Mom used to get stuff like that for me and Liz… I figured Rory might like it." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Chuckling, she agreed. "Well, if you saw the same reaction I did, I think it's safe to say that she did." Growing quiet for a second, she spoke again but more seriously. "We haven't really talked about it in a while, but I just want to let you know that your parents would be proud."

His lips falling into a tight line, Luke tensed. He released a breath slowly as he suddenly became interested in his feet. "I hope so."

Placing a kind hand on his shoulder, she reassured him. "I don't hope, I know, son. Will and Katherine would be happy with how you are now… how you are with Lorelai and Rory."

Clearing his throat, he met her eyes hesitantly. "I wish they could meet them."

Wearing an understand smile, Mia nodded. "They would have loved the girls. Will would have loved Lorelai's humor and Kat would have loved her fierce loyalty to you…" She began as she laughed softly. "And there's no doubt Rory would have them wrapped around her finger like she does you and me, probably even more so."

A grin broke through at her words, and Luke laughed. "I can see that…"

Before she could respond, they were interrupted by the slamming of the front door and the sound of little feet on the steps. "I'm ready!" Rory called as she approached them.

"Alright, say goodbye to Lucas and we'll be on our way, then." Mia smiled.

For the third time since he'd been there, Rory threw her arms around Luke. "By, Daddy Luke! Have fun with Mommy."

"Bye, Rory. I'll see you tomorrow."

After watching them pull away, Luke shook his head to clear it and turned to walk up to the front porch. Walking up the stairs and ringing the door bell, he tugged at his sweater in a last-minute effort to make himself look presentable.

"I still don't know why you insist on picking me up when you already live here..." Lorelai teased as she opened the door, but she quickly stopped. A naughty grin appeared on her face. "You look hot."

Luke couldn't help the cocky smirk that appeared on his face. His eyes trailed her frame as he murmured, "Is that new?"

Looking down at the light pink dress she was wearing, she spun to give him the whole picture. "What? This old thing?"

Shaking his head, he grabbed her by the waist and hauled her up against his body. "You do this every time."

"What?" She questioned as she looked at him with mock innocence.

"You know what..."

Rising on the balls of her feet, she kissed his lips softly. "What can I say, I like to taunt you with my goods."

"Well it's working."

"Mhmmm," Lorelai hummed through the kiss he answered with. Reaching behind her, she laced her fingers through his and pulled back. "Come on. Let's get out of here before I let you change your mind about this date." Not letting go of him, she grabbed her bag and coat and continued talking as they walked down to the truck, "It was nice of Mia to take Rory for the night. It's not every day a girl gets ravished by her man."

"I don't know if you can call this ravishing... it's just dinner," Luke stated plainly, Opening the door for her, he shut it behind her and came back around to the driver seat.

"And "just dinner" is all I want." She countered him as he entered the truck. "It doesn't have to be anything big. I just want a night with you," Smiling wider, she reached over, taking his hand again. "You don't like Valentine's Day anyway."

As he rolled his eyes, he didn't even try to hide his displeasure with the holiday. "Why would I? It's nothing but a con to turn your feelings into profit. All of a sudden, everything you might want to buy for your significant other becomes two times as expensive and two times as cheaply made. Not to mention, restaurants are always running some kind of outrageous deal that looks good but ends up costing you an arm and a leg. And for what? The same kiss at the end of the night that you would receive after any other day?... All I'm saying is that if you really love someone, you should show them without having to have a holiday to tell you to."

"Are you sure that's how you really feel? You don't seem passionate enough," Lorelai teased, her eyebrows raising

Casting his gaze to hers quickly, he saw the light dancing in her eyes and teasing smile laying on her lips. "You know, I could just leave you at home and go to dinner all by myself" grumbled with an immediate frown.

"You could, but you won't," she countered knowingly. "You like me too much."

"I'm not so sure of that at the moment," he mumbled. Taking the turn out of Stars Hollow, they found themselves in silence before Lorelai spoke up again, this time without a teasing tone in her voice

"Hey, Luke?"

"What," he answered plainly, not sparing her a glance.

She laughed softly at his slightly grumpy tone. "No, I'm not teasing..."

He immediately softened a little bit. "Okay...What," he repeated, looking over at her quickly.

Unable to help it, she leaned over and pecked his cheek. "I love you."

The rest of his grumpy facade crumbled quickly as he smiled back. "I love you too."

Unbuckling suddenly, Lorelai slid over to the middle of the seat and immediately re-buckled, setting against his shoulder.

Normally he would yell at her for doing that, but when her arm found its way around his Luke reached around her and pulled her closer. Leaning over quickly but not taking his eyes off the road, he planted a soft kiss to her hair. "Happy Valentine's Day, Lorelai."

Sighing softly, she nuzzled into his neck. "Happy Valentine's Day."

* * *

Pulling up into the driveway, Luke turned off the truck and hopped out, going around to open Lorelai's door.

Once her feet hit the ground, she looked up at him with a small smile. "Thanks for the date." She spoke quietly and raised up on the balls of her feet with a small grin. Without notice, he found her lips on his, and they fell into a warm, lingering kiss.

Luke backed her up slowly to the truck door as their kissed deepened. "There's more so don't get too carried away," he murmured, as her lips travelled away from his.

His words took a second to penetrate the cloud of desire that filled her head. Pulling back slowly, she eyed him with a questioning look. "More? What else?"

"You'll find out." Taking her hands in his, he pulled her along behind him and into the house.

"Luke, I said nothing bi-" she started but faltered off as they walked into the candle filled living room to find roaring fire, spread out blankets and piled up pillows, and what looked like supplies for s'mores.

"Don't worry. I'm not trying to burn down the house. I had Sookie come by and set everything up and light the candles and fire about 10 minutes ago."

"The thought didn't even cross my mind," Lorelai answered quietly, stepping into the room. "Luke, this is..."

"If you're going to say it's too much, it's not." He walked up behind her, running his hands up and down her arms.

Turning to him with smile, her arms came to rest around his shoulders as she stepped into his space. "I wasn't... I was gonna say it's perfect. Thank you." Kissing him, she avoided the soft, teasing kisses they normally shared and dove right in.

Taking a moment to get his fill of her, Luke backed her up slowly towards the fire, avoiding the couch easily. Without pulling back, he slipped her jacket from her arms and laid it on the couch. "Come on, lets warm up," he murmured against her lips, in that voice filled with desire that he saved for her.

Breaking the kiss, Lorelai went to sit down, but stopped suddenly. Holding out a finger to him, she kicked off her shoes and stated to rush up the stairs. "Hold that thought."

"Uh, okay."

She wasn't gone long, but when she returned, she was holding a yellow envelope. Noting his narrowed eyes, she plopped down on the blankets and patted the spot beside her to get him to sit. "I got you something, and I want to give it to you before I forget."

"Forget? Why would you f-" Luke started to question her, but her hand, stroking the inseam of his right thigh, caused him to realize. "Oh, right…"

Taking the envelope from her, he opened it up and looked at its contents. Cocking his head at her, he held up the tickets from inside and questioned, "Baseball tickets? Where did you get these?"

"Well, I was talking to Mia about what I wanted to get you, and I thought you might want to go to a baseball game since you haven't gone since we've gotten together." She shrugged. "She mentioned that she had a good friend who has connections to the Red Sox, and apparently, he had tickets for a game against a team called the Yankees that you would want to go to, so he gave them to me for really cheap…" Despite the small smile on his face, she suddenly became nervous. "Is that okay? You are a fan of the Red Sox team, right? Apparently, there's a White Sox team too, but I thought it was the red team that you like. If it's not, I am sure we can do something with the tickets."

Setting the packet to the side, Luke reached out for her and pulled her into his lap. Planting a kiss to her cheek, he smiled at her. "You're rambling…"

"I know," she answered quietly. "Do you like them? Is that the right team?"

"It's the right team…" Grabbing the tickets again, he held up the group of three. "So, since there are three, does that mean you and Rory are going to come with me?"

Looking down bashfully, she nodded. "If you want us to. I know we're not the best sports people, but I thought we could maybe make a family weekend out of it. It's right near our anniversary too, so it's kind of like a combination present for both… I hope you're okay with that."

"That sounds great." Kissing her softly, Luke rested his forehead against hers. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear, she exposed the sapphire blue earrings he had given to her that morning that matched the necklace he bought her for Christmas. "And thank you for the earrings again. I love them."

"Good… I'm glad."

Shifting to sit between his legs, she turned and leaned back against him. Falling into comfortable silence, they merely sat and enjoyed the warmth of the fire. After a few minutes, Lorelai looked at the bag of marshmallows resting near her feet. "So," she spoke quietly, "Are those marshmallows there for decoration, or am I allowed to eat one."

Squeezing her side, pushed her forward a little bit, making her laugh. "I know better than to tease you with marshmallows you can't eat… Go ahead and make a s'more. You know you want to."

"Hell yeah, I do," Lorelai smiled. Grabbing the roasting stick that happened to be sitting by the fireplace, she placed the giant marshmallow on the end and roasted it to perfection as she explained, "You know, Luke, I pride myself in being able to make a perfect s'more…"

"I'm sure you do," he smirked with an eye roll. "But you can keep those perfect s'mores to yourself."

Without taking her stick from the fire, Lorelai looked back at him with an arched brow.

Seeing the look on her face, Luke already knew what she wanted to say. Shaking his head, he slumped his shoulders and surrendered. "Fine, I'll try one, but that's the most you're going to get out of me tonight."

"Perfect!" She grinned, talking about his response and the marshmallow she was roasting. Pulling the marshmallow out of the fire, she expertly slid it on to a graham cracker with chocolate laying on it and covered it with another chunk of chocolate and the other cracker she desired. "You see, babe, the key to s'mores is getting the right ratio of chocolate to marshmallow to cracker. Too much of one and not enough of the others makes it taste wrong," she informed him knowingly. Mushing the crackers together, she took a bite of her treat, a soft moan escaping her lips as she chewed.

"Please tell me you don't eat those like that in public," he frowned. Handing her a napkin, he rolled his eyes as she licked her fingers clean instead. "I'm going to have to lock you up to keep you from doing this at the Firelight Festival, aren't I?"

"Lock me up? Kinky…" She countered, flashing him an exaggerated wink. Moving on to another s'more, she held out the second stick resting by the fireplace. "Are you sure you don't want to make your own?"

"I think I'm good," he rolled his eyes. "Just let me know when it's my turn to suffer." Leaning back, he put his arms behind his head and stretched out. With his eyes closed, he listened to her shuffle around, but before he knew it, he was being pulled back up right. "What the hell?" He questioned, his eyes popping open.

Without warning, she brought the snack up and nudged his lips apart, forcing him to begrudgingly take a bite.

Luke grimaced as he chewed. Swallowing, his grimace turned into a frown. "You got that all over my face."

Giggling, she ate the rest of the s'more herself and crawled towards him. "I'm sorry."

Grabbing one of the napkins, he wiped his face "Yeah, right. This is like the night we got together all over again."

She had started to turn back to the fireplace to start another s'more, but at his mention of the night they got together, a naughty grin grew on her face and she looked back at him. "Is it going to have the same results?"

A grin to match hers grew on his lips as he realized her predatory tone. "If you want,"

"I want..." Crawling back over and leaning forward, Lorelai planted her lips to his softly, still tasting the smore on his lips. Pulling back, she hummed and pushed him lightly, making him fall to his back with a quiet "oof." As she moved to straddle his waist, she looked down at him. "I want that, and a little more, if that's okay with you."

His hands immediately fell to her waist; and she made him growl as she wiggled them. "Trust me, that's more than okay."

* * *

Walking into the kitchen of the inn the next morning, Lorelai yawned. "Morning Sookie."

"You look tired," Sookie grinned, walking over to her and handing her a coffee cup. "So does that mean you had a good night?"

Hearing the impish tone to her friend's voice, Lorelai shook her head. "It was a great night. For someone who hates Valentine's Day, Luke Danes sure knows how to celebrate it."

Despite the positive answer she gave her, Sookie couldn't help but notice the slight hesitation filling Lorelai's voice. "Did you not have a good time?"

"What do you mean? I just told you it was great…" Lorelai looked at her curiously.

"Yeah, I know that's what you told me, but that less than grand smile on your face and hesitance in your voice tells me otherwise."

Sighing, Lorelai took a seat on a stool and traced the rim of her mug. "I really did have an amazing time. The date was wonderful, the fire and the s'mores were so unexpected, and Luke was perfect."

"But…" Sookie dragged out the word, hoping she would give her more.

Taking a deep breath before speaking, Lorelai answered quietly. "But he didn't propose." Avoiding Sookie's wide eyes, she looked down into her mug and chugged her drink.

Dropping the spoon she had just picked up on to the floor, Sookie quickly turned the burner down on the stove and walked over. 'Did you just say what I think you said?"

"Yes… I said, he didn't propose."

"Oh, Lorelai," She sighed at the frown on her friend's face. Grabbing Lorelai's arm, she pulled her with her into the pantry and made her sit down on the stool. Standing in front of her, she looked her straight in the eye. "Tell me everything."

Thinking back on the end of their night, Lorelai began to explain…

* * *

 _Valentine's Day Night_

 _The sound of their labored breathing combined with the crackling of the roaring fire to fill the room. "I can't believe you were able to distract me from s'mores." She smiled, looking down at Luke from where she still rested on top of him. Sliding off of him, she immediately found his arm around her and curled into his side, nuzzling his neck as she came to rest._

" _I guess I just have better things to offer than chocolate and marshmallows," Luke chuckled softly. Stroking up and down her back, he continued. "So this was good? The date?"_

" _It was better than good," Lorelai whispered, planting a kiss to his chest. "You never cease to amaze me with how great you are at celebrating. For someone who hates holidays, you sure are good at them."_

" _I think it's just you," he admitted. Leaning his head up, he planted another kiss to her lips before whispering. "I love you."_

 _Unable to hide the smile from her face, Lorelai burrowed deeper into him. "I love you too." While the room fell into almost silence, Lorelai rested her eyes and noted how Luke's breathing began to even out. Chuckling softly, she allowed herself to drift off too, and as she laid there, that feeling from the morning she witnessed Luke and Rory cooking together reappeared. Too worn out to stop it, she let her mind run freely._

 _On the verge of sleep, realization shot through her. Suddenly, she darted upright, covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh my gosh," she whispered loudly into the room._

 _Stirring from his sleep, Luke's grip on her hip tightened. "Okay?" He murmured out, barely conscious._

" _I'm fine… it was just a dream that woke me up," she lied._

" _M'kay."_

 _Laying back down, Lorelai rubbed a soothing hand over his abdomen, stroking softly in circles til his breathing re-evened out. "I'm glad you're getting some sleep," she whispered, "Because Heaven knows that I'm not going to."_

* * *

"Sook, do you know what that realization was? I realized that what I was feeling was contentment. I've never felt that before in my life, but somehow, Luke has me feeling that…I'm content with Luke," Lorelai explained. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at her left hand and wiggled her ring finger. "I want to marry Luke… And I finally realized last night that I want it sooner rather than later."

"Lorelai..." Sookie sighed at the frown on her friend's face. "Didn't you say you wanted him to wait?"

"Yes. I'm the one that told him to wait a while...so why am bothered that he did."

"Maybe it's because he's so good at reading your mind and knowing what you want before you do. You are feeling like he should have known."

Laughing shortly, Lorelai shook her head. "Do you know how crazy that makes me sound?"

"Luke's been telling you on the daily that you are," Sookie grinned at Lorelai's eye roll, "But as good as Luke is at knowing you, you know he wouldn't risk making the wrong call on marriage. It's a bit more serious than knowing what you're craving for breakfast."

"You're right…" Standing up, she walked over and grabbed a cookie from the jar on the shelf. Taking a bite, she thought on her own words for a second before continuing. "I guess I would be okay with waiting, but, Sook, now I'm afraid he's going to think I'm not ready for a long time."

"He probably will," Sookie reasoned, "But that's okay because that means he listened to you when you talked about waiting for marriage the first time... If you're really ready, then talk to him."

"I dont want to do that." Lorelai answered her quickly with a shake of her head. "Him proposing is the one thing I want to be a surprise."

Bringing her finger to her lips, Sookie contemplated Lorelai's words for a second before she shrugged. "Well, Luke's a pretty perceptive guy... compared to the rest of the male species at least. Maybe you can drop some hints and he'll pick up on them."

"Hints like what?"

"I dont know. Leave wedding magazines out on the coffee table or something."

"I guess I could do that...I don't know. I'll think of something." Grabbing another cookie, Lorelai walked out and took now empty mug in the sink and turned to leave. "Thanks for listening, Sookie. I've gotta get back to the desk."

"Anytime, Lorelai."

* * *

Early the following morning, the bells above the diner door rang, and to Luke's surprise, Sookie walked up to the counter. Dropping the rag he was holding, he cocked his head at her. "Uh, hey, Sookie. Aren't you usually at work by now?"

"Hey Luke. I just wanted to stop by here before I went in," she greeted with a wave of her hand. "Can we talk a minute."

"Um, sure… Is everything okay?"

"Yeah… Everything's fine." Not sure whether she should really be doing this or not, Sookie thought on it for a second, but quickly decided to continue. "I wanted to talk to you about Lorelai…but it's probably better if we…" She faltered off, nodding to the curtain.

"Okay…" After letting Caesar know he would be back, he turned awkwardly back to Sookie and cleared his throat. "Uh, okay. Let's go." Uneasily, Luke walked up to the apartment with Sookie following behind him, and as he closed the door, she took a seat at the kitchen table. Leaning back against the door, he crossed his arms. "So, what's going on?"

Suddenly unsure of herself, Sookie spoke nervously, "Ummm, well, I'm really not sure I should be telling you this, but I thought you might want to know."

"Tell me what? What's going on with Lorelai?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Well…just in case you weren't going to pick up the signs, I thought I'd let you know that Lorelai wants you to propose..." She spoke quickly, trying to get it all out before she could second guess herself.

His eyes widening, Luke froze in place. "What?" Remembering the conversations he and Lorelai had a few months earlier and after, his mind whirled as he tried to figure out if there was a time after that she had told him she wanted a proposal sooner.

"You heard me..."

Taking his cap off, he ran his fingers through is hair. "Oh my g-...You're kidding?"

Shaking her head, Sookie confirmed what she said. "Nope. She's ready... Apparently that's why she was a little distant yesterday morning, if you noticed... She didn't know how to tell you."

"I thought she wanted to wait," Luke continued on his own train of thought, not really paying attention to Sookie's answer. "I mean, she said she would say yes if I asked, but she also said that she wanted to wait a while. Does wait mean something different when women say it? Because wait, in my mind, means I need to hold off a while. It doesn't mean that I should propose less than two months after we talked."

"Luke," Sookie called out forcefully, pulling him abruptly from his rant. "She wasn't ready when you guys talked, but now she is. Yes, it's a little sooner than expected, but you know Lorelai. Sometimes things just click with her out of no where, and other times it takes a lot of thinking and convincing. Apparently marrying you just clicked"

Sighing, he nodded. "You're right. She's like that sometimes..." Looking around aimlessly for a second, he finally focused back on Sookie. "So, you're really not joking? She told you she was ready?"

Trying to keep her lips from perking up, she answered quickly. "Yep. 100% ready when you are."

"Okay...I guess I need to think about the proposal…"

At the sound of the word proposal, Sookie jumped up with a gasp, "Oh, this is so exciting! You and Lorelai are going to get married!" Running over, she wrapped Luke in a hug

"Woah... calm down, Sookie." He chuckled. "I haven't even asked her yet."

Despite his response, her excitement level didn't change. "I know! But it's still so exciting! My best friend is getting married..." Almost in midair, Sookie stopped jumping for a second before she pointed at him quickly. "Don't worry, I won't mention a thing to anyone!"

"Thanks."

Realizing she was still in his personal space she took a step back with a laugh, but didn't stop talking, "So now all you have to do is get the ring and plan the proposal, right?"

"Actually, I already have the ring..." He revealed quietly.

Gasping, her hand came to rest over her mouth.

Chuckling shortly at Sookie's extravagant reaction, Luke walked over to the safe, unlocked it, and pulled out the velvet box. "The diamonds in it were my mom's. I got them reset in a ring when I went to get her necklace for Christmas."

"Oh, Luke! It's beautiful!" Sookie spoke as breathlessly as she looked at the simple, silver band with the large, round cut diamond. Surrounding the middle diamond on each side sat two smaller diamonds.

"You think?" He asked hesitantly

"Oh, I know," she smiled. "Luke, she is going to love it!"

Releasing the breath he didn't know he was holding, Luke shut the box and took it back to the safe. "And you're absolutely sure that she's ready, Sookie?" He questioned one more time.

"I am… That's what she told me yesterday, so unless she has changed her mind, she's 100% ready for you."

Hearing the final confirmation, Luke couldn't help the smile that grew on his face. Clapping his hands together in front of him, he released his breath in a whoosh. "Okay... I guess I better get planning."

* * *

 **A/N: ONE YEAR! It's been a whole year (TO THE DAY) since I started this story, y'all. I've actually had this chapter ready to post for a few days now, but I thought it would be cool to post this today, especially considering the big revelation that happened in the chapter...I can't believe this has gone on as long as it has, and I couldn't be more thankful. Whether you just started reading it or have been with me from the beginning, I am thankful for each and every one of you.**

 **XOXO S**


	39. Chapter 39: Sign Clearly Seen

**EDIT: Thank you to whoever "Guest" is in the review section! The exchange between Rory and Luke is not how I wanted it to go either! When I write my chapters, I type them up once on a word document then re-read them when I upload . I had planned on fixing that scene when I uploaded it, but I forgot in haste to get this uploaded! (*facepalm*) Thank you for pointing it out, and thank you for elaborating in your comment! I took a little bit of what you said and even fixed the edit I was going to add in the first place! Xoxo S**

* * *

 **Chapter 39: Signs Clearly Seen**

While waiting outside the library windows, as soon as she saw Andrew stand up, Lorelai saw Rory running out from the doors heading straight at her.

Throwing her arms around her mother as soon as she got to her, Rory smiled brightly. "Hi Mommy!"

Picking her up, Lorelai placed a loud kiss on her cheek. "Hey, sweet girl. Did you have fun at story time today?"

"Mhmmm... Andrew let me read the first book!" before Lorelai could continue Rory through up a fist in triumph. "Now it's time for Sunday Funday!"

"That it is, kid," she agreed smiling at her daughter's excitement. "Do you have anything you want to do?"

Taking her gaze around the square, Rory saw a family with kids. "Can we do that?" she pointed, speaking hopefully.

"Fly a kite? Do you still have one?"

"Mhmm! I have the one Mia made me! It's under my bed!"

"Well, then let's do it if you've got it." Lorelai smiled. Sitting Rory down, she took her hand in hers as they began to walk back towards the house. "How about this? We can go home and get the kite and fly it for a little while, we can have some fun at home after, and you can go to Lane's later. Maybe we'll stop by the diner and get some food in between."

"Can we get pie?" Rory asked, suddenly bouncing from foot to foot.

Nodding, she laughed at her excitement. "You bet. And I bet if you ask really nice, Daddy Luke might let you put some of that red strawberry stuff on it that you like so much."

"Yummy!" She exclaimed, licking her lips. "This is gonna be really fun."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Lorelai found herself back in the square, holding hands with Rory and leading her out into the open field of the town square. "Alright, Rory, are you ready to fly?"

"Yeah!" Dropping her bag to the ground, she unzipped it and pulled out the kite and the roll of string. "Can you tie the string on?"

"You can't tie a knot?" Lorelai questioned knowingly

"What if I mess it up?" Rory looked at her with wary eyes.

"You won't." Taking it from her, Lorelai sat down on the ground and placed the kite next to her. Grabbing Rory's hand, she led her down to her lap, and put the kite on top of their legs. "Here, I'll help you. We have to tie one at the top of the stick and one near the bottom."

Maneuvering her fingers with Rory's little ones, they tied the knots quickly and finished just as the wind was picking up again. "Perfect timing," Lorelai smiled. Handing the roll of string back to Rory, she let some of it out and walked away, taking the kite with her. "Alright, sweets, try running that way a little to get started, and the wind should pick it up."

"Okay!" Turning and facing Luke's, Rory took off as fast as her little feet would take her and the bright blue polka dot kite soared up. Gasping loudly, she turned back to look at Lorelai. "Look, Mommy! We did it! It's flying!"

"I see that! Good job!"

For a good half an hour, Lorelai and Rory took turns running back and forth across the square, the kite flopping higher and higher each time in the breeze. Out of nowhere the wind picked up a little faster, and Rory felt the string slip out of her hand and carry the kite away from her. "Oh no!" She exclaimed, running after it, but before she or Lorelai could catch it, it got tangled up in the branches of an oak tree.

"It's stuck, Mommy! It's stuck!"

Seeing the sadness forming on Rory's face, Lorelai took her hand and squeezed it. "It's alright. We'll get it down." Taking a good look at the tree, she noted some lower lying branches. "Okay... I'm gonna try to get it, Rory. You stand back." Grasping on the branches, she began her ascent into the tree.

Not long before she got near the kite, Lorelai heard a wary, "Be careful Mommy! Don't fall!"

Looking back down at her daughter, she smiled. "I'll be careful hon, don't worry." Finally reaching the branch the kite was caught on, she untangled it and dropped it down to Rory. "There you go. I told you I would get it."

"Yay!" Picking it up quickly, she immediately hugged it to her chest. "I think I'm done flying. I don't want to get it stuck again."

"We don't have to if you don't want to. Let me get down and we'll go to the Diner to get some pie. Sound good?"

"Yeah! Strawberry Apple Pie!"

Getting down, though, was no easy feat, and just as Lorelai reached one of the final branches, it cracked under her weight. Grasping the branch above her quickly, Lorelai let out a loud yelp. "Oh!"

"Mommy!"

Looking down and seeing the scared look appear on Rory's face, Lorelai took her gaze to the diner. "Uhh, Rory. Run over to the diner and get Luke for me... Make sure you look both ways before you cross the road!"

Before she could even make it to cross the street, Lorelai heard the diner bells jingle loudly and Rory yelling, "Daddy Luke! Mommy's gonna fall!"

His obvious track skills kicked in as he picked Rory up and made it over to the tree in record time. "Lorelai! What the hell are you doing!"

Adjusting to a more comfortable position to the branch she was now sitting on, she threw out a careless hand. "Oh, just spending some time in nature. Taking in the beauty that is this tree." She answered nonchalantly.

Sitting Rory down, he looked up at Lorelai. The squint of his eyes and tight-lipped frown gave away his frustration as he shook his head. "It's a good thing I looked up and ran out here before you fell…You're could've broken something."

Something in his tone rubbed her the wrong way, "Well, Rory's kite got stuck! What was I supposed to do? Let it stay in the tree," she defended herself.

"You could've gotten me." He shot back quickly. Taking in the height she was up, Luke moved under the branch she was on, and held out his arms. "Let yourself down slowly and drop when your arms extend all the way out. I'll catch you."

Gripping the branch tighter, she shook her head adamantly. "You'll drop me!"

Rolling his eyes, he held out his arms and spoke sternly. "Lorelai, just do it. I've held you no problem before. I can do it now."

Sighing she hesitantly did as he said. Her breath caught in fear as she released the branch, but like he promised, Luke caught her and planted her feet on the ground quickly.

As soon as she was settled on the ground, she was ready to defend herself and looked at him with defiant eyes. But before she could open her mouth, the overwhelming concern she saw in him stole the fire right out of her. "Luke…"

"Please don't do that again," he spoke evenly. "You scared the hell out of me."

"I won't." She spoke softly, though she wasn't sure why.

They were torn from the moment they found themselves in by the sound or Rory's voice. "Mommy, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Tearing her eyes from his, Lorelai crouched down. "Oh, yeah, Rory. I am… Why don't we go get that pie now?"

"Okay…"

Skipping off ahead of them, Lorelai was surprised to find Luke's arm immediately come around her waist. "Luke?" She questioned.

"If something like that ever happens again, call me. Don't try to do it yourself."

"I can do things by myself. You don't have to do everything for me," She defended, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"I know I don't have to." He shook his head, pulling her tighter against him. "But I'd rather bust my ass doing something like that than have to worry about you hurting yours."

"So you just want to protect me? You're not trying to control me," she reasoned aloud, her eyes scanning his face for the answer.

Scoffing with a slight laugh, he planted a kiss to her forehead. "I'm not that much of an idiot. Controlling you works just about as well as telling you Casa Blanca is boring…It's a fight I can't win."

Rolling her eyes playfully, she leaned against him. "As long as you know your place."

Entering the diner, Luke led them to a table and went to go back to the kitchen, but before he could stray far, Lorelai grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.

"What?"

Tilting her face up for kiss, she smiled when he complied and pulled back. "Thanks for saving me."

Patting her hand on the table, he smiled as a slight blush filled his cheeks. "No problem… I'm gonna go get the pie."

* * *

"Dont forget to feed Freddy, mommy!" Rory pled, leaning over the center console from the back to the passenger seat in the front to get her bag.

"I won't, hon." Lorelai reassured her, planting a kiss to the top of her head. "Have fun with Lane and I'll see you in a little while."

After making a small detour at the diner for another dose of coffee and Luke, Lorelai walked in the door to her house and dropped her purse on the table in the foyer. Looking down at the stack of magazines in her hands that she picked up from the newsstand, she took in the wide array she had collected. " _Brides, Bridal Guide, Bride Groom, Premier Bride, Town Country Weddings..._ Yep, that's all of them."

She strolled in the living room, looking around for the best place to put them and spotted the unusually clear coffee table. _"I guess that's as good a spot as any,"_ she thought to herself as she sat the stack down and fanned three of them out to show each title. Walking upstairs, she placed one on her night stand and one on her magazine rack by the tub. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she whispered.

Looking around, satisfied with herself, she changed quickly out of her work clothes and padded back downstairs. As she approached the kitchen to get a snack, the view of Rory's room reminded her of the class hamster she was keeping for the weekend. "I've got to feed Freddy, right." Grabbing the small chunks of apple and carrots the school provided from the fridge, she walked in Rorys room, but the bag in her hand soon fell to the floor when she found the door to the cage open and no hamster inside. "Freddy!"

Quickly running out of Rory's room, Lorelai began looking all over the house. "Oh, no. No, no. Ok. Freddy, do something. Show yourself. Molt or chirp or something… Do hamsters chirp? Do they even make a noise?... Oh, this is so not funny. Not funny, not funny. Oh, this is so unbelievable. Ok, that's ok. I can fix this. We can fix this."

Catching the sight of the land line out of the corner of her eye, Lorelai reached for it and dialed the familiar number. "I'm going to make this better. I'm going to fix –Hello?"

* * *

At the diner, Luke was walking around the room with plates, doing his best to balance the many orders he was dealing with. Normally he had no problem, but the almost accident with Lorelai was weighing heavily on his mind. _"What was she thinking? She could have broken her neck or something," he thought in frustration. "If she could refrain from killing herself before I get the chance to propose, that would be great."_

Stopping his tracks, he stood in the middle of the room holding the coffee pot as he stared out at the tree he had rescued her from. _"I need to do it soon. Maybe I can find time this week to set the plans in stone. I've got the ring, now I just need the permission. That shouldn't be too hard... right?"_

He was pulled from his reverie by the sound of the phone ringing. Looking around quickly, he tried to see whether anyone noticed how he was lost in his thoughts. Satisfied they were keeping their noses in their own business, he dropped the pot off at the warmer and answered the phone.

"Yeah, who is this?" He spoke gruffly.

"Luke? Freddy got out and I don't know - do I put apples or carrots on the floor? Do I make squeaking sounds? Or do I pul a Lucy Ricardo and walk on all fours so he thinks I'm his mother?"

"Who is Freddy? And who is this?"

Sighing loudly, Lorelai pled loudly with him over the line. "What do you mean who is this? It's Lorelai! Who else would call you looking for her hamster?"

"You're right. I'm the idiot…" Luke rolled his eyes. Taking a second to think, he frowned. "Why the hell do you have a hamster?"

"It's Rory's class pet!" She answered, her voice filled with exasperation. "Could you come home, please, and help me?"

Still confused, Luke looked around the diner to see if Caesar could handle it on his own. "Uh, yeah. Okay. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay, hurry!"

Hanging the phone back on the hook, Luke frowned at it. _"A hamster? What the hell? We don't have a hamster! What kind of excuse is that?"_ Suddenly, a vision of a flannel-clad Lorelai lying on their bed, laughing as she waited for him to rush into the house and fall for her trick filled his mind. _"Surely she wouldn't call me in the middle of a shift for that... would she?"_

His legs began moving before his mind could process, and he found himself telling Caesar to close and walking out the door.

A few minutes later, Luke walked in the house, still wearing a confused look on his face.

"Thank God! Get in here!" Lorelai yelled as she rushed over to him and grabbed his arm. Leading him into the living room, she pulled him over by the seat in the corner. "I thought I heard some kind of scratching noise, but when I came over here it stopped. Can you look under it and see if Freddy is there?"

Rolling his eyes, he got down on all fours and peered under the chair and all the way to the corner. "There's nothing here." He grumbled.

"Then what was making that noise? I could have sworn I hear something!" Just as she finished, a scratching noise started again but in another part of the room. "Shhh! Shhh," she shushed him even though he wasn't talking. "Okay! I think he's over there?"

"Aw jeez… You really do have a hamster in here!" Luke exclaimed in surprise, watching as Lorleai ran over to the other side of the room.

"Yeah! I told you! Now get over here and help me before he gets away again!"

Luke came over quickly, but once again, the scratching stopped as soon as he approached.

"I swear! Something so small l should not be able to escape so fast!" Dropping onto her stomach, she gazed under the cabinet. "I think I see him! Luke! Move the cabinet! Move the cabinet!"

Moving the cabinet back, Luke peered around behind where it was, and frowned. "That's not a hamster. It's a hair ball…How in the hell did you get a hairball under this? I understand the shower, but really?"

"Oh shush," Standing up, she playfully smacked his behind and wiped her jeans. "Well if he's not over here, he has to be back over there."

"We looked over there," He rolled his eyes.

"Well, he went under the chair and didn't come out."

I looked under the chair… nothing."

"Well then he went under the chair and through a hole in the floor." She reasoned. Walking back over, Lorelai searched the corner again. "Maybe there's a hole in the molding… not the floor."

"There's no hole in the molding or the floor."

"Well maybe there was a hole in the floor and he crawled through it and fixed it."

Sighing, Luke frowned. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. In the doorway by the entrance to the foyer, Freddy was crawling towards the rug by the door. "There he is!"

"Where?"

"Right over here!" Hurrying over, he grabbed the hamster before it could crawl away again.

"Luke! You caught him!" Taking the hamster from his hands, she pecked his cheek. "You're my hero, babe."

"Just put the hamster up, please…" He rolled his eyes. Shoving his hands in his pocket, he watched as she walked away. _"Where the hell did that thing come from? Why on God's green earth do we have a hamster?"_

After putting Freddy back in his cage and double checking that it was locked, Lorelai stuffed some of the carrots and apples through the small gaps of the cage and walked out of Rory's room. Walking back into the living room, she found Luke taking off his jacket. Suddenly his words from earlier rang in her mind. "Hey, Luke? What did you mean earlier?"

Looking over, he cocked his head at her. "What are you talking about?"

"When you got here. You made some comment about me _really_ having a hamster in the house."

Ducking his head, Luke did his best to avoid her eyes in hope that she wouldn't press him further. "Hmm?"

"I mean…" Walking over, she bent at the knees and met his eyes. "If I didn't have a hamster here, why did you think I was calling?"

"No, I thought you were calling about the hamster…"

"The hamster you didn't even know we had here…" Suddenly realization flooded her mind and she gasped. "Wait, did you think I was calling you for sex?!" At his sigh, a look of disbelief took over her face.

"No." Despite his best to sound truthful, the tenseness of his voice gave him away.

With a gaping mouth, Lorelai stared at him a second before a smile tugged on her lips "Oh my gosh! You totally did! And you came home for it in the middle of your shift!"

"Well, I wasn't sure what you wanted," Luke explained, crossing his arms defensively

"But you came with that thought in the back of your mind! You came, and you weren't even sure!"

"Well, when you call hysterically, whether I believe you or not, I have to come!"

"But your first instinct was that I didn't actually have a hamster in the house!" She spoke accusingly, pointing at him "You thought I was calling you for a booty call!"

"Because we don't have a hamster!" He yelled back, throwing his hands out to his side in frustration.

"Well we do this weekend!" Putting her hands on her hip, she rose up on her toes to meet him nose to nose.

"How was I supposed to know? I came home and went straight to bed on Friday and stayed at the diner last night because I was there until 3 am fixing the heating unit. I never came home to see it, so I had no clue that Rory was hosting the class hamster this weekend!"

Throwing out a careless hand, she fell back to her flat feet and ignored his answer "Forget the hamster! You're telling me that all this time, all I would have had to do to get you here for a naughty nooner or some twilight delight during the middle of your shift was to come up with some crazy emergency! I can come up with all sorts of crazy things right off hand! I'm Lorelai! That's what I do!" With a sigh, she plopped down on the couch. "I feel a little jipped at the moment," She spoke sadly as she crossed her arms with a pout

"Jipped! What... I..." Luke stuttered then stopped. Like she did with him seconds before, he stared at her in disbelief for a moment before laughing. "Oh my gosh, are we really arguing about this."

Lorelai looked back up to see his smile lines deepening. His grin made her laugh too. "We're Luke and Lorelai. We argue about stupid things. That's what we do," she smiled.

"Gah, I love you," He spoke while shaking his head. Leaning over, he planted a soft kiss to her lips and sat next to her in silence for a minute before a smirk appeared on his face as he looked over at her. "Twilight delight? Really?"

Reaching out, she slapped his arm playfully. "Oh, shut up."

"What? I've never heard it called that before."

"Well no matter the name, babe, you still came for it." She sat for a moment and began shaking her head. "I still can't believe you thought I was calling you to have sex."

"Well, we don't normally have a hamster, Rory's not home... What else was I supposed to think?" He rolled his eyes. Reaching over, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his lap. "You make me crazy."

"You have to be crazy to put up with this." Lorelai smiled, kissing him sweetly. Feeling Luke's request for entrance, she opened her mouth and deepened the kiss. Shifting to straddle him, she pulled back. "Don't you have to go back to the diner?"

With a naughty waggle of his eyebrows, Luke shook his head and grinned. "Caesar is closing now..."

"Seriously? You got him to close tonight so you could..." She faltered off at his nod of confirmation. Feeling his arms tighten around her waist, she smiled. "Lucas William Danes, you dirty, dirty boy."

"Really? Was the full name necessary?" He rolled his eyes. He tried to maintain their typical sarcastic banter, but the flicker of desire in his eyes gave him away.

"I think so..." Leaning forward, she brought her lips to the shell of his ear as her hands slid down his torso. "So, we found the hamster, Caesars closing, and Rory's not here. Is there anything in specific you want to do?"

Without a word, Luke reached up, buried his hands in her curls and brought her lips to his in a deep kiss. When he slipped down to her collarbone, Lorelai sighed. "Twilight delight it is."

* * *

Sookie had warned him about the possible appearance of wedding magazines, and sure enough, he noticed them as they began popping up around the house. Satisfied that she _really_ wanted this, there was really only one thing left to do before his proposal, and he was headed to do just that. As he pulled into the driveway, reality of what he was about to do set in. Shutting his truck door, he walked slowly to the entry way and knocked on the door.

"I'm here to see Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore."

"Oh yes, come in. They are expecting you... May I take your coat" The young maid answered cheerfully.

" _Obviously she's new,"_ he thought. "Yeah. Thanks."

Letting him into Richards office, the maid closed the door quietly as Richard looked up. Luke wasn't normally a nervous man, but the Gilmore parents always brought it out in him.

"Well, hello Luke. When my secretary said you'd called earlier this week, I was rather surprised. I figured you would be running your diner at this hour."

Doing his best to calm his nerves in a discreet way, Luke shoved his hands in his pockets nervously. "Well, normally I would be, but this was the only afternoon you would be here instead of at your office, so I made the time work... if I may, I would like to speak with both you and Mrs. Gilmore. Is she here?"

"I believe so. If you'll give me one moment, I'll have Louisa get her to come in here." As he stood up, he gestured to the seat in front of the desk. "By all means, make yourself comfortable. I'll just be a moment."

As Richard stepped out, Luke fingered the velvet box in his right pocket. If all went as planned, he would be in and out quickly with the Gilmore blessing, but something within him told him that it probably wasn't going to happen. He was torn from his thoughts by the opening of the office door.

"Luke." His name came out of her mouth in the sound of surprise before she could catch it. Not taking her eyes off of him, she walked herself to Richard's side of the desk and stood beside him as he took a seat.

"Hello, Mrs. Gilmore," Luke answered smoothly, not breaking under her obviously critical yet curious stare.

"Luke has something he'd like to share with us, Emily." Richard looked back at Luke. "Isn't that right?"

Preparing for what was about to come, he cleared his throat, "Yes, it is...I came here because I wanted to discuss something with you... I would like to ask for Lorelai's hand in marriage."

Two different reactions played out on their faces. On Emily's, there was a look of horror, and Richard's, one of confusion. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Richard questioned, "So soon? I thought you were going to wait longer?"

"Well, I was. But apparently Lorelai made it known to one of her friends that she was ready. She's also been strategically placing bridal magazines across our house, so I'm taking that as a confirmation to what her friend said."

"She's nothing if not persistent if she wants something," Richard chuckled

"I agree..." Rubbing his hands together, he sat up straighter. "Now, Lorelai obviously doesnt know that I'm here, and to be honest, I dont think she really wants me to ask you two before I propose, but I think it's the right thing to do. If either of you have objections, and I dont mean lifestyle objections but serious ones, then I will not ask. However, if not, I plan on asking her to marry me within the next few weeks."

Without saying a word, Emily crossed her arms and walked out.

Both of them watched as she left. Luke sighed audibly but Richard didn't seem phased by it. Leaning forward, he rested on his arms. "Well, Luke. We already discussed this, and you know I approve of you, so I know you don't need it, but you also have my permission."

Relief flowed through him, but he couldn't help casting his eyes back to the door that had just slammed shut. "What about..."

He cut him off. "If you're about to refer to Emily, I wouldn't worry about it. I will get her to come around. You just worry about what you have to do… Do you have any ideas of what you're going to do?"

"I don't yet, but I do have a ring…" Pulling it out of his pocket, Luke hesitantly handed the red box over to Richard.

As he opened the box, Luke could see the genuine surprise on his face. "I must say," Richard murmured as he lifted the ring out, "This is a beautiful ring. The diamond is exquisite."

"Thank you, sir. The diamonds were from my mother's ring. I just had them reset in a newer band."

"Well I think it is perfect for Lorelai." Slipping it carefully back in, he closed it and handed it back across the desk. Sitting back in his chair, Richard crossed his arms and spoke as though he was closing another business deal. "Now, I have no opposition to your proposal, but I do have one request."

"And that would be?"

"When it happens, if you could get Lorelai to call and let us know when it happens, I would really appreciate it."

"Okay…" Luke answered confidently. The way Richard presented his request, he figured it was going to be something different, something less simple. But then again, knowing how Lorelai preferred to withhold information from her parents, it may not be as easy as he thought. "I think I can do that."

"Thank you." With a nod, Richard stood up and Luke immediately followed. Walking out, they stopped at the door where Luke turned to him.

"I promise I'll take good care of her… of both of them." Taking a step forward, Luke held out his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Gilmore."

"I have no doubt." Taking his hand, he gave it a firm shake. "And please, call me Richard."

Watching Luke pull away through the curtains, Emily hurried back down and walked loudly into Richards office, where he was already sitting with a client folder in his hands.

"You can't seriously be okay with marrying that man," she exclaimed immediately.

Looking up at her from above his glasses, he frowned. "If you remember, last time they were here for dinner, we talked about this."

* * *

" _I have to say, I believe that went rather well." Richard spoke aloud, meeting Emily in the living room after seeing Lorelai, Rory, and Luke out._

" _Well? Did you not hear Lorelai say that she was living with that man?" Emily immediately griped, fluffing the pillow at the corner of the couch in frustration._

" _Of course I did. I just don't think it's that great of a deal."_

" _It is certainly a big deal! Lorelai has a man in the house with Rory that is not her father! And she informed me that they are planning on pursuing marriage. I can't imagine how she is allowing such ideas to run through her mind." She frowned, walking over to meet Richard. Straightening out his bow tie, she continued in her ranting. "That man is far from what Lorelai needs. She could find much better than a diner owning, uneducated, unshaven man from Stars Willow. Even Christopher would serve her better. The man has very little back bone, but at least he comes from good upbringing."_

" _Christopher is a spineless dolt who has abandoned our daughter and granddaughter on more than one occasion, from what I have gathered. If I had my choice and he wasn't Rory's father, I would prefer that he stay away from them at all costs." He countered, stepping back from his wife's nervously meddling hands._

" _So you're saying that you approve of this arrangement? If our daughter vows to spend the rest of her life with this unkempt man, you would have no problem."_

 _Shaking his head at Emily's demeaning words, Richard crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I have come to terms with it, and you are going to have to as well." He directed. "If all goes as planned, we will have a new son-in-law within the next year."_

 _At the end of his words, she froze. Looking at him with a mixture of surprise and frustration, she frowned. "You know something."_

" _I do…"_

" _Well don't just stand there, tell me what you know!"_

 _Stepping away from her, he walked over to the drink cart and poured himself a soda. After taking a sip, he looked back at her straight in the eye. "Luke is going to propose sooner rather than later."_

 _The look of horror reappeared on her face as her jaw dropped. "How soon?"_

" _As soon as the end of April arrives, he could ask her anyway."_

 _Absorbing his words, her lips fell into a grim line and she simply walked away. As she marched up the stairs, he took another sip of his drink and sighed. He knew convincing her wasn't going to be easy, but to keep Lorelai in his life, he had to find away. He wasn't going to lose his little girl again._

* * *

"You said that he was waiting a few months, Richard! I was hoping Lorelai would come to her sense before it could happen… or at least I could have pushed her to realize it."

Looking at her intensely, he pointed a finger at her. "You will not do such a thing, Emily, I forbid it."

Immediately straightening, she spoke defensively. "Forbid me? What makes you can do such a thing?"

"I cannot force you, but you need to remember this. We finally have Lorelai back in our lives. Just a year ago, she wouldn't even breath our direction. If accepting Luke will keep her and Rory in touch, then I don't see why we shouldn't." Sitting the folder down on the table, he leaned forward towards her. "No, he is not of the best breeding, but if you spent a few minutes to speak with him, you would find out that he is a good man with good morals. He loves our daughter and granddaughter fiercely. What else could we ask for?"

Tossing out a careless hand, she gave her usual remark. "I'm sure that if she looked hard enough in our circles, she could find an outstanding man. A man better than Luke."

Sighing loudly, he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Tell me, Emily. When was the last time asking Lorelai to be involved in society worked? If you have the same memories that I do, then you realize that it never has."

Pursing her lips haughtily, she rolled her eyes. "Only because she's too stubborn."

"Well, stubborn or not, she has obviously found what she wants in Luke," Richard reasoned. "And I can guarantee that if we try to interfere in any way, we would be gone from her life, not him… You're going to have to find a way to accept this one way or another."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Stars Hollow, the day was also Luke's day to get Rory from school and let her spend time at the diner. Not bothering to park at the diner and walk over, he pulled up by the elementary school just as the bell rang. Before he knew it, a flash of purple rushed out he door and was opening the passenger door to the truck before he could get out to do it. "Hi, Daddy Luke!"

Taking the bookbag she was handing out to him, Luke watched as she attempted to climb up into the cab. "Hey, Rory… If you'll wait a second, I'll come around and help you," he informed her as he moved to unbuckle.

"No! I can do it!" Grabbing onto the seat, she groaned dramatically and pulled herself up into the cab. "See, I did it!"

The proud smile on her face made him laugh. "You did… Are you ready to go to the diner?"

"Yeah… I'm hungry. Can I have cheese fries when we get there," she asked, her voice taking on a plea as she made her request.

"You know the drill. Fruit before food. I have an apple today, so if you eat it, then you can have the fries," he bartered.

The dramatic grumble that escaped her lips couldn't have sounded more like Lorelai's if she had tried. "I don't like apples."

"You like apple pie," he answered quickly, trying not to chuckle at the glare she tossed him.

"But not normal apples… Do you have grapes? I'll eat the grapes?"

Thinking on his fridge's contents for a second, he remembered the unopened bag he had bought a few days before. "I have green ones… If you eat a bowl of those, then you can have the fries."

"Deal!"

Living up to her end of the deal, Rory was chomping away on some grapes as Luke appeared upstairs in the apartment with the pile of cheese fries. Peering over to see the bowl in front of her on the table, Luke noted that the bottom was finally visible. "Just a few more, and you get these." He held out the plate.

Reaching in quickly, Rory grabbled the remaining four grapes and devoured them quickly. "Done! Can I have fries now?"

"You bet." As he slid the plate over to her, Luke emptied his pockets onto the table as he would every day.

The stream of babble that was coming out of her mouth ended suddenly, and Luke looked up to see her staring at him with wide eyes. "Yes, Rory?"

Rising up on her knees, she leaned over on the table to point. "What's that?"

Looking at what she pointed at, Luke grabbed it. "It's something for your mom… Do you want to see it?" He questioned, holding out the box to her.

Rory eyed it warily before reaching out. Opening the box, she stared at the shining object in side then looked back up at Luke. "It's a ring!"

"I know." In his mind, he had planned on asking Rory to marry Lorelai later on in the afternoon when things were less busy downstairs and she was done with her homework. But deciding that this was as good a time as any, Luke too a deep breath before questioning, "Rory, do you know what rings are for?"

"Yeah! People wear them on their fingers," She answered in a "duh" tone and looked at him with a confused look as though she expected him to know that already.

"They do… but do you know why adults wear rings?"

"Mia said she wears a ring on this finger because she's married. That's why Mommy said she doesn't wear a ring." She answered as she gestured to the finger on her left hand. She stopped talking and stared at the box. Luke could see the wheels turning in her head.

After a moment, she looked up at him with questioning eyes. "Are you and Mommy getting married?"

Looking at her with disbelief for a second, he shook his head. No matter how many times she proved her intelligence, he was still amazed that someone so young could put two and two together so easily. "That's what I wanted to ask you, Rory… I know you and your mom are a package dea…"

Before he could finish his thought, she cut him off with a happy, "Like mallomars and twinkies! That's what Mommy says!"

Unable to help it, Luke chuckled at her words. "Only your mother," he murmured. "Anyway, Rory… I wanted to know I have your permission to marry your mom. If you think there's enough room for me in your lives, I want to."

Looking at him curiously, she spoke inquisitively. "Will it make you my daddy?"

In his mind, Luke thought that he really shouldn't have been surprised, but nonetheless, her words caught him off guard. Taking a deep breath, he thought a second before speaking. "Not exactly...You have a dad."

Her face immediately fell, but he was quick to reassure her by continuing. "But I will be your step-dad, and I love you like I'm your real dad."

"Can I call you Daddy?"

If anyone asked him to recall this moment later, he probably would play it off as he was calm, but he would be lying about how her words tugged at his heart. A small smile grew on his face as he nodded. "If you want to, yes. I'll be whatever you want me to be."

"Okay." She whispered softly. "I want you to marry Mommy." She spoke louder, handing the box back to him.

The intensity of the smile on his face even caught him off guard. "Yeah?"

"Yeah!" Hopping out of her seat, she ran around the table and threw her arms around his neck. "We get to be real family."

It was in that moment he realized just how big things were about to be. Not only was he going to gain a family, but the little girl in his arms and Lorelai, to an extent, would be too. All of them were gaining pieces of family they needed, and suddenly, the day he was waiting for to ask Lorelai to be his wife was a day that couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello, everyone! Sorry for the delay in posting, but I have a good reason! Finals week is over, and you are officially reading the story of a college sophomore! This story has been a nice stress reliever this past semester, so thanks for reading it and allowing me to keep writing it! With college over for a little while, I will FINALLY have more time to write, so hopefully that means more updates! (Unless that pesky writer's block comes back _gross!_ )**

 **I had no time to write these past few weeks, so I literally wrote this chapter in around 24 hours. I hope you enjoyed it, let me know, and if you don't, still let me know anyway! I want to hear everyone's opinions!**


	40. Chapter 40: Yes Yes!

**CHAPTER 40: Yes… Yes!**

Tuesday night, while Lorelai and Rory took part in their monthly Willy Wonka night, Luke found himself walking into Sniffy's alone for the first time in a while. As soon as he entered the door, he was met with a loud, "Lucas! What a surprise!"

Enveloping Maisy in a hug, Luke chuckled as she squeezed him tightly. "Hey Maisy. It's good to see you too."

Grabbing his arm, she led him over to his usual booth that happened to be open and sat down with him. "So, son, what's brought you in tonight? Where are those beautiful girls of yours?"

"They were having Willy Wonka movie night, so I thought I'd let them spend that together..." He grimaced at the thought of them stuffing themselves. "There's enough sugar in that living room to last me two lifetimes, and they're gonna have it cleared within a few hours."

"Ohhh, it's junk food night. Well, let me go tell Buddy to fix something better up..." Before she could get far, she stopped at the edge of the table. "Would you like some company, or were you planning on dining by yourself?"

"You are welcome to join me if it's not too busy," Luke smirked, having known coming in that he wouldn't be allowed to eat by himself.

"Well, that's a kind offer. I think I'll accept," Maisy answered with a cackle. "I'll be right out with something for you to snack on in the meantime."

A few minutes later, he found a bowl and both Buddy and Maisy in front of him. "I figured since Lorelai wasn't here tonight, you would want to indulge yourself in a salad."

"Hey, Buddy," Luke stood up and greeted him with a hug. "You would be right." As he sat down and stirred the dressing through, Luke found himself under the older couple's gaze. Sure enough, as soon as he went to take the first bite, Maisy spoke up curiously. "So, is there anything new going on in your life?"

Swallowing quickly, he shook his head. "Not really. The diner is good, Lorelai and Rory are great, and the town is as crazy as usual."

"So, Lorelai and Rory are great, but how are things with _you and Lorelai_?" Buddy pressed

Putting his fork down, Luke dabbed at his mouth before reaching in his pocket. "Things are good."

"Just good?"

Shaking his head, he wore a small grin. "I actually have something I want to show you both." He answered him, placing the velvet box on the table.

A wide smile immediately grew on both of their faces as Buddy reached for the box and opened it. "Well, I'll be... this is beautiful, Lucas."

"The diamonds are from Mom's ring..."

"And that makes it even better." Buddy eventually handed it over to Maisy, where she ran her finger over the diamonds.

"I remember when your father was picking the ring out... you kept it pretty similar."

"I didn't want there to be too big of a difference." Luke ducked his head. "Now all I've got to do is plan everything... I want it to be special."

"Well, Lorelai is a special girl," she agreed, sliding the ring back over to him. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Not really..."

Both of them thought on it for a second before Buddy leaned forward onto the table. "Say, is there one of those fancy festivals coming up? I remember Lorelai going on about how much she loves those."

A lightbulb immediately went off in Luke's head. "Uh, yeah, actually there is. There's the stupid "Bid-A-Basket Auction" next week. I think it's ridiculous, but Lorleai's all for it. I'm sure she'll try to convince me to do it sometime soon."

"Katherine always loved those and Will hated them. Somehow, she always drug him into them." Maisy smiled knowingly. "You know, if you wanted to, you could buy Lorelai's and propose then."

Immediately frowning, he shook his head. "I'm not proposing in front of the rest of the town. All hell would break lose."

"No one said you have to. Take Lorelai somewhere else away from everyone...propose during the picnic. That seems like something she'd love."

To his surprise, Luke could actually see the look on her face now, and he couldn't help the grin that tugged at his lips. "She would..."

"Don't give in too easily though," she reminded him, her finger pointing directly at him. "If you agree to do it, she might realize something's up. It's probably best if you let her think you aren't buying her basket."

Thinking on it for a second, he eventually nodded. "You're right... but she's going to put me through hell until then. Between her hair flip, pout, and flippy skirt, I might stroke out before I can event propose," he grumbled.

"As long as you know what you're up against," Maisy laughed

"Oh, believe me. I do," He rolled his eyes, though there was no malice to his words. Unable to help himself, his mind wandered to a vision of Lorelai acting just as he described. After a moment, he was pulled out of his thoughts, and saw the couple looking at him with knowing grins.

"See, Bud, I told you... He's a smitten kitten."

Ducking his head, Luke avoided their gazes bashfully as Buddy spoke up. "Congrats, son, I have no doubt she'll say yes." He spoke strongly placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it before standing up from the booth. "Now eat your salad while we get the rest of your meal, and when we come back, I'd like to hear an explanation for that fruity blue hat your wearing."

* * *

"Please, please, please, Luke!" Lorelai begged, dragging out his name in a whine as she followed him to the counter.

Sure enough, Luke noted the flippy skirt when she walked in, so he knew what he was up against. Knowing he would crack if he looked back, he didn't bother to turn around or break stride. "Nope, not gonna happen."

"But, why? Just this one time! That's all I want!"

Grabbing the coffee pot, he filled her a mug before looking back at her. "Lorelai, I've gone to town meetings, I've walked through every town festival, and I've attended every town production since we got together... I think you'll live this one time that I don't participate."

"Ughhh!" She groaned in exasperation. "Please Luke? This is the first bid-a-basket that I actually have a boyfriend to bid on me!"

Leaning back against the counter, he crossed his arms in front of him, giving her a no-nonsense look.

Huffing dramatically, she slid off the stool and walked back over to her table to reclaim her seat.

As much as he tried to ignore it, Luke could feel her gaze following him. Quickly delivering an order and dropping a ticket at a finished table, he walked back to her. "What? I can feel your eyes on me. What are you looking at?"

Tapping her cheek contemplatively, she grinned. "Hmmm... I don't know. I haven't figured it out yet." She answered sassily.

"Cute." He deadpanned with an eye roll to accompany it. "Are you gonna be like this all day, or is this mood going to disappear sometime soon?"

"I'm not the one causing this mood... All you have to do is say yes to buying my basket, and poof, it's gone!" She answered with a frown, crossing her arms and legs dramatically.

Before he could answer, Rory returned from the bathroom and plopped down into her chair. "Good morning Daddy Luke!"

"Good Morning, Rory," he answered her.

Noticing her pout, Rory looked at her mother curiously. "Are you sad, Mommy?"

Immediately wiping the look from her face, Lorelai sat up. "No, sweets. I'm just frustrated with Daddy Luke because he says he won't buy my basket:"

"Lorelai..." he groaned. In his mind, he knew she wasn't afraid to tell Rory almost anything, but with her being so young, he didn't think she needed to be involved in their arguments. "Keep talking about the basket, and you get decaf."

"I'll buy your basket! I have money in my piggy bank. We can go on a picnic!" Rory answered happily, the smile on her face clearly showing she was content with herself for coming up with a solution.

Lorelai couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips to match. "You hear that babe, Rory will buy my basket," She laughed emphasizing the word _basket_ provocatively. Leaning over, she grabbed Rory's hand and squeezed it before shaking her head. "You don't have to do that. You save your money, and we'll go on a picnic anytime you want for free."

"See, you can go on a picnic with Rory and not participate all together." Luke smirked at her immediate scowl. "That's enough about that. What can I get for you?"

"Pancakes, bacon, and eggs. And I want chocolate chips." At his frown, she raised her eyebrows. "It's the chips or the basket, your choice."

"Fine... for you, Rory?"

"I want chocolate chip pancakes too!" She exclaimed with a wide grin.

"Look what you started," He spoke gruffly, looking at Lorelai. "I'll have them out in a few."

* * *

Sending Rory to wash her hands of the syrup before they headed out, Lorelai sauntered up to the counter.

"Heyyy, Luke?" Dragging out his name flirtatiously, she batted her eyes as she approached.

"What?" He answered hesitantly as he looked up from the till in the register. Seeing the look on her face, he closed the drawer and walked over to her. Staring directly into her eyes, he lowered himself on to his elbows and whispered a quiet, "No."

She immediately frowned "I hope you realize that I know your decaf threats are empty and I'm gonna keep bugging you until you say yes."

Looking at her with a smirk, he countered, "Well, you can bug me all you want, but I'm still not doing it...Maybe Kirk will buy your basket."

"Who knows, maybe well have a great time then and I'll leave you for him." She retorted quickly then immediately grimaced. "Ugh, I can't even joke about that."

"I don't know, I'm sure he'd love it." Leaning closer he whispered loudly, "Word on the street is that he has a crush on you."

"Don't even imply that..." A shiver ran through her body before she shook her head adamantly. "See, now I have that visual in my head, and you have to make sure that it doesn't happen."

"Sorry, not happening." Taking the money that she had slid over to him to cover her bill, he slid it back with a grin. "Why don't you go buy something nice for your date with Kirk tomorrow."

"I hate you." She glared at him.

Leaning over the counter, he grabbed her hand, squeezing it. "I'm sure there's a club out there that you can join that feels the same way."

Unable to help it, her lips pulled upward. "Fine... I don't hate you, but I don't like you at the moment."

"You'll get over it..."

Running back out, Rory appeared at Lorelai's side. "I'm ready Mommy!"

"Alright, sweets" Standing up, she handed her the jacket she left at the table. "Put your jacket on and we'll head out." After making sure Rory put it on right-side out, Lorelai turned back to Luke. "We're going out with Mia for a while, but we'll probably be in for dinner... I know you are gonna change your mind about the whole auction thing while we're gone."

"Just keep telling yourself that." Seeing her tilt her head up for a kiss, he easily complied. "I'll see you guys later."

Seeing the girls out, Luke walked back behind the counter to sort through some receipts. It wasn't long before he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat, and he couldn't help but look over to see Patty staring at him.

"Can I help you?"

"You were a little harsh with her over that basket, dear, don't you think?" She spoke up, nursing her cup of coffee.

"I was supposed to be." At her raised eyebrows, he looked around the diner to make sure no one was paying attention before continuing. "If I gave in, she would find out what I have planned." He tossed out his words casually to gauge her reaction

"What you have planned? How..." Patty faltered off as a knowing smile grew on her face. "You wouldn't happen to be planning anything special, would you?"

Though he felt weird about asking Patty for help, knowing just how easily she could get word around town and ruin the surprise, he decided that she was the best one to turn to since she was working with Taylor to organize the basket bidding. "I heard that if I did, you would have to be the first one to know... if I was, do you think you could help?"

"It depends on what you need done..."

Wanting to continue, but afraid someone would be listening in, he cleared his throat and spoke a little quieter. "So, I have those things in the back if you want them..."

Confused, she frowned, but it wasn't long before she caught on and stood up from her stool. "Oh, yes, of course."

Trying not to make the situation more awkward than it needed to be, he led her back to the storage room.

"You know, Luke, in all my years, I never thought you would ask me back here unattended."

"Just keep your hands to yourself, Patty," Luke griped, stepping away from her and leaning back against the table.

Speaking smoothly, Patty looked at him curiously. "So, how can I help you, dear?"

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he was suddenly uncomfortable and nervous. "I'm coming to the basket thing tomorrow, but I also don't want to poison myself by eating what Lorelai puts in hers... do you think you could put some stuff in it when she's not around."

"Of course." In her mind, Patty could tell what was coming, but deciding to dig a little deeper, she searched for confirmation. "Is there a reason you are keeping your attendance at the auction a surprise... is there a special question that you are going to discuss on tour date?"

Looking down at his feet, Luke shuffled for a second before looking up straight at her. "I'm going to ask Lorelai to marry me."

Though it was what she expected, she couldn't help but gasp and clap. "Oh, this is so exciting! Stars hollows power couple is finally getting ready to tie the not!"

"Aw, jeez, Patty..." Knowing she could get louder and let the whole world know his plan, he walked over and closed the door quickly. "I know this might be difficult for you, but if you could keep it a secret until Lorelai and I give you the okay to tell everyone, that would be great."

"Of course! I would never do such a thing!" At his arched brow, she chuckled. "I promise, I will wait, but if somehow Tilly gets word before I do, you're going to be in trouble."

"We'd never think about telling anyone else first."

"Good. Ill drop by the diner in the morning for whatever you want me to put in the basket... I'll keep an eye out for which one is hers."

"Thank you."

Satisfied with the conversation's end, Patty made her way to leave but stopped at the door. "By the way, congratulations. Your parents would be proud."

Nodding his acceptance, he answered with a quiet, "Thanks." Despite the busybody-ness she always had, Luke had to admit that she and the rest of the town had really been there for him since everything happened, and if going through her would make his proposal to Lorelai successful, then he was willing to do it.

* * *

The following Saturday, as the bidding on her basket climbed higher, Lorelai cast her eyes dejectedly towards the diner window. Luke was nowhere to be seen, probably in the kitchen, and the bozos in front of her were bidding on her basket for what she knew would end up being the worst "date" of her life.

"$48.50!" She looked back up to see what was clearly a tourist, and she shook her head with a sigh. _"He's probably a Dungeons and Dragons dweeb or something. I'm going to have to spend my afternoon listening to him cast spells or whatever the hell they do."_ Plopping down on the gazebo steps, her chin fell in her hands as she waited for the horror to ensue.

"$51.00 going once, $51.00 going twice..." Taylor called, looking around the crowd.

Before he could call out "sold", a voice boomed from the back of the crowd. "$100.00."

Everyone turned to the back and Lorelai's eyes shot up to see Luke standing with his hands in his pockets. Unable to believe the sight in front of her, she jumped up and her jaw dropped before she gained her voice and yelled out, "$100 going once!"

"Hey, that's my line," Taylor glared at her

"Well, then get your lips moving, or I'll keep going." She countered quickly, her eyes still on Luke

"$100 going once...$100 going twice..." With the bang of his gavel, Taylor yelled out, "Sold to Luke Danes for $100!"

As "sold" came out of Taylor's mouth, Lorelai squealed, scrambling down the stairs of the gazebo, and threw her arms around Luke's neck. "You're the best boyfriend ever!"

"You better think so," Luke chuckled as he planted a kiss to her hair. "I just doubled the bid for your basket. You're expensive."

"I thought you weren't coming." Pulling back from his neck, she smiled. "What changed your mind?"

Playing it off, he shrugged and tried his best not to hint at anything to come "I saw when the bidding started and all the guys started raising their hands... you looked worried."

"I think you were jealous that some other man was going to get to bask in all of my wonderfulness."

"Yeah, that's it," he answered with an eye roll.

"Well, whatever it was, I'm glad you're here." She pecked his lips quickly. Moving his arms from her waist, she took his hand in hers. "Come on! Sookie's got Rory helping her until the basket date is over, so we get to spend the whole afternoon together. That never happens anymore."

Walking up to the gazebo to Miss Patty, who was handing the baskets out to the winners, Luke took Lorelai's basket, or what she thought was her basket. Knowing she hadn't put much in it, he made sure not to let her know it was heavier than a few stale pop tarts and slim jims.

"Alright... you won the bid, so you get to choose. Where do you want to go?"

Looking around, Luke found Taylor staring at him, still in shock over his participation. Rolling his eyes, he started to walk away from the square. "Anywhere where no one will see us."

Thinking on it for a second, she perked up. "Oh! What about the lake at the inn? There's a really nice shady area that no one can see from the inn, plus, Rory's already there, so we can pick her up after."

"We can eat by the lake, but I'm not sitting on the ground."

"Well, of course not. That's why there is a blanket with the basket." Lorelai grinned, a teasing glint in her eyes as she looked up at him.

Knowing it was a fight he'd lose, Luke didn't even try to put up a fight and just shook his head. "Come on."

Wrapping his arm around her, they walked to the truck, and, as per usual, he opened her door and helped her inside. Once he was seated with the basket in his lap, he listened as she started to ramble on about how she thought the Jenkins's kid or the "Dungeons and Dragons Dweeb" was going to get her basket. Tossing his gaze to her every once in a while, Luke hoped his "mhmm" responses were enough, as his mind was only focused on one thing...

* * *

Grabbing Luke's free hand as soon as her feet hit the ground, Lorelai closed the truck door with her hip and looked up at him. She hadn't stopped smiling since he bid. "Thank you for doing this."

Opening his mouth to tease her, Luke caught sight of the look of love in her eyes and stopped. Planting a quick peck to her lips, he pulled back with a grin. "You're welcome."

Unsurprising to him, she made quick work of spreading out the picnic blanket. Dropping down, she took the basket from his hands, and immediately frowned at its weight. As it rested in her lap, she lifted the lid to see more than just pop tarts and slim jims and quickly looked up at him with eyes filled with panic. "Luke! You got the wrong basket! We have someone else's lunch!"

Pretending to look inside, he shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, that's the one Patty gave me. I'm not going all the way back to town now."

"But Luke..." She protested

Cutting her off, he shook his head. "Let's eat it, and when we get back to town, we'll find out whose it is and go from there. I'll pay them back if I have to."

Looking down, she eyed the basket warily. The food did look good, but it wasn't her basket.

"Fine..." Lorelai sighed. "At least you don't have to eat a pop tart." Reaching inside, she began pulling out things. After a moment, stopped as she reached in to find apple pie. Holding it up, she frowned at him. "This looks a lot like your pie..."

"It probably is. People put my pie in these things every year..." Sitting down across from her, Luke stretched out his legs and watched as she continued digging, waiting for her to put two and two together.

Taking his answer at face value, she dug out the rest of the food, but before she could set a bowl down, she noted the mismatched Tupperware. "Hey! This is all my bowls and stuff. I'm the only person in the world who could pair a pretty purple lid with the ugliest brown bowl known to mankind..." Turning to him with knitted brows, she cocked her head. "Did you do this?"

At his ducked head, she immediately softened. "Luke, you did this?"

Shrugging, he looked her straight in her eyes. "You wanted me to participate, right?"

"You had this planned the whole time?" At his nod, a smile grew widely across her face. "I cant believe you tricked me and let me annoy you, and you were planning this!" Crawling across the blanket, she pecked his lips.

Moving back, she grabbed the rest of the food from the bottom of the basket and handed him his. Taking a few bites in amicable silence, she wiped her mouth before she spoke with a grin. "You know, your cooking actually tastes better outside."

"Good. Next time the roof in the diner's leaking, I'll just rip the stupid thing off."

Laying out, she flipped onto her stomach and propped her chin up with her hand. Grabbing a chip from one of the bags, she took a bite and looked out at the lake. "So this is nice, huh? Come on, admit it."

Stopping a grin from appearing on his face, he grumbled, "never," before quickly popping a carrot in his mouth.

Mocking offense, Lorelai threw a chip at him. "What? Admit it! you would much rather be sitting out here than inside working."

"The diner's probably on fire by now."

Shaking her head, she pointed at him knowingly. "You are stubborn."

"I'm stubborn?

"Yeah, you're stubborn."

With an eye roll, Luke deadpanned. "Because You're Miss Flexibility over here."

Affronted by his accusation, she frowned. "Hey, I can be flexible."

"Please."

"I can." She spoke haughtily, raising her chin in the air. "As long as everything is exactly the way I want it, I'm totally flexible."

"Ah, well, my mistake." Reaching for another carrot, he paused as she held her hand out to him.

"Do you want a chip?"

"You want a carrot?" He countered quickly

"Impossible." She smiled, biting into the chip with a smirk.

Tossing back a carrot of his own, he winked. "Right back at ya."

Catching the sight of one out of the corner of her eye, Lorelai grabbed a rock from the ground. "How about this, I will eat one of those horrid carrot sticks if you can make this skip 8 times across the water," she bartered with him.

Taking the rock, Luke looked at her with a confused look. "All I have to do is skip this rock 8 times?"

"Yep!" Looking out at the lake for a second, Lorelai resealed the chip bag and sat it down beside her. Jumping up, she grabbed another rock for herself and extended her hand out to Luke, pulling him up with her. "Come on...Rory and I used to come out here and do it all the time. She was a master skipper by age four,"

Grinning as she tossed the rock she found, she called out the skips dramatically. "1,2,3,4,5..." As the rock plopped into the water, she looked back at Luke with a shrug. "No matter what, we were never able to make it past 7 skips."

"So in order to get you to eat a carrot, I have to do what you consider impossible... I've been skipping rocks my whole life. This should be no problem."

Grabbing his wrist tightly before he could toss, she scolded him. "Ah, ah, ah. Don't get too cocky. Every person I've done this with has never made it to eight. Me, Rory, Mia, Sookie, even Morey and Babette. None of us could do it"

Bringing her hand to his lips, he placed a light kiss before bringing it back down to her side. "Then allow me to be the first." With a quick flick of his wrist, Luke sent the rock skipping.

"1,2,3,4,5,6... ah so close!" Lorelai narrated dramatically. "That's right, folks. Butch Danes was unable to complete the challenge! Will he try again or will he submit to the fact that I'm right?"

Rolling his eyes, he mumbled, "I have to warm up."

Despite the warming up by the both of them, 7 more rocks each and many laughs later, Lorelai chucked a rock into the water without even trying to make it skip. "I'm telling you! This place is cursed! It hates rock skippers."

"Or it could be that we suck at skipping rocks,"

"Hey! What happened to 'I'm Butch Danes, I am a professional at skipping rocks'," she imitated him.

"Normally I am," he squeezed her hand as he chuckled. "Maybe we're just using the wrong rocks or something."

"Ooo, let's go to the other side of the lake and try those rocks! I've never skipped with rocks from that side... I mean, if that's alright with you."

"Sure… Why not."

Walking slowly around to the other side, Lorelai found herself leaned into his shoulder. "Hey Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"This has been a great date..." Planting a kiss to his flannel, she grinned at his grunt of agreement. "See, not all town things are bad. Some of them let you spend more time with me. What could be bad about that?"

Feeling the conversation growing serious, Luke's heart immediately skipped a beat and he realized that his window might be coming up. Looking back at her with a smile, he planted a soft kiss to her lips. "Nothing at all." He answered softly

Returning his kiss, she pulled back with a sigh and they fell into comfortable silence. As Luke's hand began moving up and down her back, she slipped her arms under his jacket and burrowed into him, the early spring weather giving her an excuse to cuddle closer. "Hey, Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's not skip rocks... can we just walk a few minutes?"

Pulling her even closer, he planted a kiss to her temple. "Sure."

"I don't know if you realized, but we've officially known each other for one year." She spoke up quietly as they reached the back of the lake but kept walking "Around this time last year, you were giving Rory a free coffee... You were supplying my caffeine addiction and you didn't even know it."

"And I've been supplying it ever since. Sometimes I wonder if you're with me for the coffee."

Laughing softly, she smiled. "And I plan on letting you wonder that for the rest of our lives."

"The rest of our lives, huh?" He inquired, squeezing her side.

Tensing for a second, she looked up at him and couldn't help but shiver under his gaze. "Yeah... I plan on having you around for a while if that's alright with you."

" _This is it."_ He thought. Taking a deep breath, he pulled her closer. "I've actually wanted to talk to you about that..." He answered, his face not giving away anything

His words stirred something in her, causing her heart to race. "Really?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, by all means, talk." By this time, she wasn't sure she was breathing, but she was definitely smiling.

Taking her hands from around him, he took a step back from her, falling to one knee.

Her breath hitching in her throat as she gasped, Lorelai's hand flew over her mouth as she realized what he was doing. "Luke..." she managed to get out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Seeing tears immediately beginning to pool and escape, he smiled, "Please don't cry yet. You know I can't handle it when you cry."

"Sorry," She beamed brightly, wiping the tears that fell.

Holding her hands in his, Luke spoke simply. "I had more planned than just the picnic if that's okay with you." At her nod, he placed a kiss to her hand before he continued. "I'm not good with words, and you know that, but I thought today would be a good day to give it a shot... I love you, and I mean it in every sense of the word. I know that you're a _lot_ of work," he spoke with a small grin, "but I love you for it. I knew from the first time I saw you that I wanted to get to know you better, but I never thought that I would be lucky enough to for you to be the woman of my dreams. You are crazy, passionate, unpredictable, and a whole lot of other things, Lorelai Gilmore, but I wouldn't have it any other way. If you'll let me, I want to spend the rest of my life with not only you, but Rory too, in this crazy place we call home..." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the box. An audible gasp escaped her lips as he opened it and she caught sight of the ring. "Lorelai, Will you marry me?"

It was as if she was dreaming. No way was this real. The man she loved was right there in front of her on one knee, and only one word came to mind...

"Yes!" Lorelai whispered hoarsely. Regaining her voice, she spoke a little louder as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Yes, Luke, I will marry you!"

In one smooth motion, he slipped the ring onto her shaking finger. Standing up, Luke enveloped her in his arms, planting a kiss to her hair. "I love you."

Pulling back, she looked at him with bright eyes. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she knocked cap off his head, running her fingers through his hair. "I love you too... so much," she whispered, bringing her lips to his in a demanding kiss.

The world around them fell away and passion flowed between them as Luke tightened his grip around her, angling his head and taking them deeper. Feeling her start to move against him, he pulled his lips from hers, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

They stayed like that for a while, neither knowing how long, relishing the monumental decision they just made. When Lorelai finally pulled back, Luke found her smiling brighter than he thought he'd ever seen.

"We're getting married," she said, her hand caressing his cheek, still in awe. "Me and you. You and Me. Lorelai I'm-sorry-can-i-get-a-forklift-for-my-emotional-baggage Gilmore and Luke table-for-one Danes are getting married,"

Chuckling softly, he turned his head and kissed her palm. "We are."

"I can't believe this..." she whispered. Finding her eyes drawn to the ring now on her finger, she trailed the details of the beautiful piece. "Luke, this ring is beautiful... When did you have time to get this?"

"The diamonds are from my mom's ring." At her smile, Luke took her hand and ran his finger across the band. "I had them reset when I got your present at Christmas."

"Well, you picked perfect." Her eyes stayed locked on the ring as she ran her own finger over the diamonds. Out of nowhere, her gaze was broken when she perked up suddenly. "Oh my gosh, Rory! We've got to tell Rory! She'll be so excited!"

She managed to turn in his arms, but he stopped her from pulling away, tightening his grasp on her waist. "Wait."

"What?" She turned back to him curiously.

"I'm pretty sure I just fixed a whole pie for you to celebrate with that you haven't even touched." Running his fingers through her curls, he smiled. "Let's finish this. Rory will still be up at the inn when we're done."

Realizing that they could keep this to themselves for a little while, she didn't have a problem with it. Stepping to him, she leaned into his shoulder and rested her arm around his waist. "You're right... It's not every day that I get to go on a date with my fiancé." She tested out the title with a grin.

Tightening his grip on her, they began to walk back to their blanket. "God, that sounds good."

"I know, doesn't it," she spoke softly. "Just imagine how much better it will be when we get to call each other husband and wife."

Unable to help it, and not wanting to stop it, a full-blown smile appeared on Luke's lips as he placed on last kiss on hers. "I can't wait."

* * *

As they strolled back to the inn, Luke's free hand found Lorelai's, squeezing it tightly, and his thumb ran over the diamond. He did it; he really proposed... and she said yes.

Deciding to keep it a secret until they got back home, Lorelai hid her hand from Rory the whole drive, but she was unable to really keep her excitement in, as Luke saw her out of the corner of his eye bouncing in her seat.

Opening the door to the house, Rory scrambled in to take all of her stuff to her room. Before she could get too far, Lorelai stepped in the house and spoke up "Oh Rory! Come to the living room. I need to see you," She said in a sing song voice.

Immediately reversing her course, Rory ended up by the stairs. "Here I am, Mommy!"

"There you are! We've got something we want to talk to you about sweets. Daddy Luke w—." She started but was cut off by a loud gasp from Rory.

Unbeknownst to Lorelai, she caught sight of the ring on her finger. "You did it, Daddy!" She exclaimed, running over to Luke and throwing her arms around him as soon as he picked her up.

"I did." Looking over at Lorelai, he noted the suddenly curious look on her face. "What?"

"What does she mean, "You did it"?"

Before he could answer, Rory shouted out excitedly. "He asked you to marry him!"

"I know that, sweets," she answered smiling, "But how do you know that? I haven't even told you yet."

Pointing to her finger, she explained, "You're wearing the ring he got you!"

"You knew about the ring?" She looked at her curiously, then up to Luke who was suddenly looking down at his shoes. "Luke?"

Clearing his throat, he spoke a quiet, "She did..." Putting Rory down, he looked at Lorelai and shrugged his shoulders. "I might have asked her to see if I could marry you."

A small, quiet gasp escaped her lips, and her hand flew up to her mouth to cover it. Letting it down slowly, she spoke softly. "You asked Rory for my hand in marriage?"

"Well, yeah. If she didn't want us to be married, then there's no way I could go through with the proposal until she did... She comes first."

Bouncing on the balls of her feet happily, Rory said, "Now I finally get a real daddy, Mommy! A real daddy who lives with me!"

As much as her heart broke at the words, at the same time, Lorelai was overcome with such happiness that tears filled her eyes. "I know, Rory." Crouching down she brought her daughter into her arms and kissed her head. "So, you're okay with me marrying Luke."

"Mhmmm!"

Feeling the tears escaping again, she smiled. "Do you mind running and getting me some tissues from my room upstairs, hon?"

"Okay!"

In all reality, she couldn't have cared less about the tissues. She just wanted to have Rory out of the room before she could scar her for life.

When Luke looked into Lorelai's eyes as she stood back up, her gaze was intense, borderline dangerous. For a second, he thought she was angry, but before he could speak up, she strode over to him and threw her arms around his neck, covering his lips with hers in a hungry kiss. Luke responded immediately, his hands gripping her sides and drawing her as close to him as humanly possible. Her lips were demanding, the force behind them stronger than he expected. She plundered his mouth greedily, and he responded with a low moan. Before the fog could take over his brain, she released him, stepping back a little as she heaved. "I love you so much." She spoke quietly and intensely. "You think you have an idea, but Luke, there's no way you do... Asking Rory, that is the most amazing thing, and I couldn't love you any more for it if I tried."

If he didn't know that Rory was going to appear back in the room soon, Luke would have gone in for more, but at risk of Rory walking in, he kept his lips at a distance. Unwilling to break contact though, he brought her into his arms, and she could feel his heart still racing from the intense moment they had shared. "I do know, but I'll take your word for it... I love you beyond words, Lorelai. I know I don't tell you enough, but I do," he whispered into her ear and planted a kiss to her temple.

Still trying to catch her breath, he heard her murmur quietly a second later. "Did she just call you Daddy?"

Pulling back to where he could see her, he pushed a stray curl from her face. "That also may have come up when I talked to her. She asked if I would be her dad, and I told her no, that I would be her stepdad but I love her like she's mine. So, she asked if she could call me Daddy instead of Daddy Luke, and I told her she could call me whatever she wants," he explained entirely.

Opening her mouth to respond, she shut it and shot him a small smile. Shaking her head, she nuzzled into his neck, planting a kiss there and spoke the only words that had seemed right for the past few hours. "I love you, Luke."

Running his hands lazily up and down her back, he answered with a firm, "Ditto."

They stayed locked together as long as they could until the finally heard Rory approaching.

Skipping happily into the room, she held out the box of Kleenex. "Here, Mommy!"

"Thank you, Rory," She answered, taking one and dabbing at her eyes

"What do you do now? Are you married?" Rory asked questioningly

"Not yet. We're engaged. We have to have a wedding, and then we will be married. This ring just means we promise to marry each other."

"Oh! Do I get to go to your wedding?" Rory pressed further. "Do you wear a dress like on the movies? Do I get to wear a dress?"

Laughing softly before shaking her head, Lorelai smiled. "Woah, woah, woah, sweets. One thing at a time... How about this. We'll answer all the questions you have when we plan it, but _yes_ , you do get to come."

"When do you plan it?"

Knowing Rory's questioning was nowhere close to ending, she placed a hand on her shoulder and answered, "How about this? You go put your stuff up, and then we will sit on the couch with some chocolate milk, and we will talk all about what you get to do."

"Okay!"

As Rory scurried off with her bag, Lorelai turned back to Luke and wrapped her arms around his waist. Finding his quickly around her, she pulled him closer, pecking his cheek. "Are you gonna stay around for Rory's interrogation, or do you have to head back to the diner."

Running his hands up and down her lower back, he shook his head. "I took the rest of the day off, so I don't have to be back until the morning."

"Oh good! We can have a Gilmore-Danes night in…" Thinking on her words for a second, she laughed and shook her head in self-deprecation. "Boy, we're sounding like an old married couple already..."

* * *

Watching as Lorelai slipped her top over her head later that night, Luke admired the woman before him.

Feeling his gaze on her, she stopped and looked at him over her shoulder. "Are you gonna come in or are you just gonna stand there and be a perv watching me while I dress."

Chuckling, he shook his head. "No offense, but I'm not looking at you." At her furrowed brow, he walked over and turned her to face the mirror, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Taking her left hand, he laced his fingers through hers and brought her ring into the light. "I was looking at this."

"Still can't believe it huh?" At his nod of confirmation, she smiled. "Me either... the town is gonna be thrilled though. I just don't know how we're gonna tell them all."

"Oh, about that..." He looked at her reflection with a smirk. "I may have told Patty that she gets to be the first to know. She helped with the food in the basket so she gets the inside scoop."

Turning in his arms, Lorelai eyed him with a grin. "You got Patty to help you propose to me?"

Rolling his eyes at the taunting look in her eyes, he nodded. "Yes."

"Well, if this ring doesn't prove your love for me, then that definitely does."

"Exactly..." Remembering the promise he made to Richard, Luke took a reassuring breath before continuing. "I think there's one more group you need to worry about telling first, though."

Narrowing her eyes at him, she hesitantly asked, "Who?"

"Your parents..."

"Luke..." Sighing, she pulled away from him and walked over to the bed. Sitting down on the edge, she looked up at him warily. "I don't know how... I know they aren't gonna approve, and I don't what them to ruin this moment for me."

Watching her pick at the quilt on the bed, he realized he could maybe ease her mind by repeating her father's words from when they spoke, but he wasn't sure how she'd react. "What if I told you I know that they approved." He spoke up cautiously.

"What do you mean..."

"I mean that I talked to them before I proposed..."

"You what?" She exclaimed, standing up quickly and walking back up to him. "You can't be serious."

Hearing the combative tone in her voice, he placed his hands on her shoulders and answered her directly before she could rant. "I asked them, and your dad gave me his approval."

"But you didn't n-"

"I know I didn't need to, but I did. It's the right thing to do."

Moving his hands away, Lorelai stepped back and clapped her hands on her hips. "The right thing to do? Luke, my parents have no business telling you whether or not we can get married! It's not their call!"

Reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck, Luke realized his instinct was right… she wasn't happy. Sighing, he stepped back and leaned against the dresser, giving her space as he reasoned with her. "It's not, but they've been pretty good lately. Don't you think it was good for me to at least give them a heads up?"

"Giving them a heads up is saying 'Hey, I'm proposing to your daughter. I thought you'd like to know.' Asking permission is something completely different!" She countered fiercely.

"Well, I did it anyway!" Throwing his hands out at his side, Luke continued frustrated.  
"What are you going to do? Break it off because I asked their permission?"

"What? No!" Immediately softening, she cocked her head. "Do you think that?"

Shaking his head, he stepped back towards her and grabbed her hand. "Of course not, but why else would this be an argument? If we're going to stay engaged whether or not i asked, then why the hell are you upset?"

Running a hand through her hair, Lorelai bit her lip before deciding to answer. "Because, Luke, this thing, me and you, is one of the only really good things in my life, and in the past, whenever I had anything good, they always found a way to destroy it."

"Is telling them we're engaged going to change _your_ mind?"

"No..."

"Then tell them." Walking over to her nightstand, he grabbed the phone off the hook and held it out to her. "Maybe they'll surprise you, and if they don't like it, they'll just have to suck it up and deal with it. I got their permission, so everything should be fine, but if not, they can get over it."

"Fine... but if my mother puts me in a bad mood, you have to deal with it,"

Raising his hands in surrender, he nodded. "Noted."

Grabbing the landline from his hand, she slowly dialed the number. "Hello, could I speak to Mr. or Mrs. Gilmore... It's their daughter, Lorelai... yes, that's fine. I'll wait." As the maid went on a search for one of her parents, Lorelai took a shaky breath and shot Luke a nervous look. Walking over, he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder right before she spoke. "Hi, mom."

Surprised by her daughter's voice on the other end, Emily froze. "Hello, Lorelai... is something wrong?"

Cocking her head, she cast her narrowed eyes back to Luke as she answered. "Uh, no. Nothing's wrong. Should there be?"

"Well, the only time you ever call is to schedule dinner, and since we just recently had that, an emergency is the only other reason I can think of for your call."

"No, mom, it's not an emergency..." Taking a breath, she leaned back against Luke's chest, wanting to feel his support. "Is dad there?"

"He is..."

"Well, could you get him? I want to talk to the both of you."

"Okay... give me a moment."

Though it felt to Lorelai like she waited forever, after a short moment, Emily spoke up again. "Alright, he's here, Lorelai, and I had the maid put the phone on speaker mode so we could both hear..."

"Okay. I just wanted to let both of you know that I had some news... Luke asked me to marry him, and I said yes." She spoke hesitantly. As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she scrunched up her face in concern and held her breath, waiting for their answer.

"Well, that's wonderful, Lorelai," Richard answered, happiness evident in his voice. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Dad." She answered genuinely. "We're pretty excited about it... Mom are you still there?"

If she hadn't had the phone up to the ear herself, Lorelai never would have believed the words she heard. "Yes, Lorelai. I'm here... Best wishes to you and congratulations to Luke. I'm very happy for you."

Inhaling a sharp breath, her eyes widened. "Uh, thanks, mom… So, I guess I'll let you guys go, but I just wanted to share the news."

"Very well, Lorelai," Richard spoke up. "Thanks for calling. Have a good evening."

Pressing the end button, Lorelai dropped the phone on the bed and sat down slowly herself. "Did that just happen," she spoke quietly into the room.

Sitting down beside her, Luke took her hands in his. "What happened?"

"Mom didn't freak. She just said congrats and that she was happy for us." Looking at her feet with an emotionless face, she continued as she reprocessed her mother's reaction in her mind. "I don't think she's said she was happy for me in my entire life."

Unable to read her, he reached out and pushed a curl out of her face, causing her eyes to meet his. "And how do you feel about that?"

"I don't know…" Laying back on the bed, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the ceiling. "Luke, I really don't know."

* * *

 _Meanwhile, at the Gilmore Mansion…_

Not bothering to set the phone back down on its dock, Emily looked back at Richard with an unreadable expression

"Emily?"

"She told us. She told us about her engagement." Unable to hide it, her voice revealed her disbelief.

Nodding, Richard eyed her carefully. "She did. She's opening up to us… Now that she's told us, how are you feeling about this whole situation?"

"I'm not sure…" Realizing her lapse, Emily reached back and set the phone correctly and tidied the rest of the table. Standing back up, she tried to straighten as much as possible, but the shock in her eyes broke through her societal façade. "Richard, I'm honestly not sure."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, what do you think... :)**


	41. Chapter 41: Not Yours, Ours

**Chapter 41: Not Yours, Ours**

"Alright, you remember the rule, right hon?" Lorelai spoke nonchalantly as they passed another group of townies walking to the diner before taking her to school.

"You and Daddy getting married is a secret until you see Miss Patty. She gets first bibs." Rory answered, reciting the words her mom had told her just before they left the house.

Laughing, Lorelai squeezed the hand of Rory's that she was holding. "Dibs, not bibs, but yes. So, we don't need to say anything about the ring that is in my pocket."

"Okay." Marching up the steps, she opened the door and ran straight into Luke who was walking by. "Hi, Daddy!" She called immediately, giggling as Luke stumbled and caught himself.

Regaining his balance, turned to see her smiling up at him. "Hey, Rory," He answered, unable to keep a smile of his face at hearing her new name for him. "Ready for breakfast?"

"Mhmmm! Can I have eggs and bacon today?" She looked up at him expectantly.

"And orange juice to drink?" He questioned.

"With a bendy straw!" She bartered, plopping into a chair at the nearest empty table

"You got it." Agreeing to her terms, he turned away leaving Lorelai high and dry

Returning a minute or so later with drinks, Luke found Lorelai frowning at him. Reaching over, he sat the cup of orange juice in front of Rory and coffee mug in front of her. "What?"

"What am I, chopped liver?" She groused teasingly, turning her lips up as she plopped into the seat across from Rory.

"I don't normally have to ask you, what you want." Planting a quick kiss to her lips, he smirked. "You'll yell it out to me from across the room before I bring you the wrong thing anyway"

Rolling her eyes, she stuck her tongue out at him. "It's true... But you just think you're so smart."

"When it comes to you, nothing surprises me anymore."

"Would it surprise you if I wanted oatmeal this morning?"

As he pulled the order pad out of his jeans, her words caused him to freeze. "Really?"

"Yeah..." she smirked. "I want oatmeal, but replace the oat and the meal with pancakes, eggs, and bacon."

He rolled his eyes. "Maybe I'll just conveniently forget your replacements and bring you the real thing... I'll be back in a few."

Rising on her knees, Rory leaned over the table and cupped her hands aroumd her mouth. "Mommy am I gonna have to keep this a secret all day?" She whispered. "I'm really excited!"

Smiling, Lorelai leaned forward and followed Rory's motions. "I sure hope not, hon. Maybe if Miss Patty doesn't come in, we'll walk to the studio and tell her."

"Can we do it on the way to school?" She questioned her mother hopefully.

"If I can convince Luke to come with us, you bet. It may take some extra Rory eyes, so be ready."

Appearing suddenly at the side of the table, Luke made them both jump as he bent down and spoke quietly, "What are we whispering about?"

Giggling, Rory leaned over to Luke's ear. "Mommy says I can't talk about you getting married because Miss Patty has first dibs. We have to whisper so no one knows."

"Ahhh, gotcha," He murmured back. Standing up, he looked at Lorelai with a smirk. "You know, considering you normally don't have any concern over how loud you are most days, whispering in here just makes people know that there is something going on."

"And if they ask, I'll tell them to mind their own dang business." At his arched brow, she shrugged. "What, your grumpiness has worn off on me. What can I say?"

"Well, I'm glad it has, because it really isn't any of their damn business." He smiled. Turning to Rory, he questioned, "I forgot to ask, Rory, did you want scrambled eggs or fried eggs?"

"Can I get scrambled? I want to put ketchup on them." She informed him, laughing at his frown.

Looking over to Lorelai, he rolled his eyes. "She thinks most fruits and vegetables are gross, but she likes ketchup on her eggs…You are raising a kid with some strange eating habits."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She smiled, flipping out a careless hand. "I think their just fine. Everyone knows ketchup is ten times better than anything green or leafy."

"Apparently everyone but me, apparently." Shaking his head, he squeezed her hand. "I'm gonna go put that order in. Behave yourself while I'm gone."

"Never," she answered, smiling at his scowl he shot back to her.

* * *

As they stood up from their table 20 minutes, Lorelai helped Rory put her coat on. As she slipped her left arm into the sleeve, Lorelai looked over Rory's shoulder to see Patty standing out on the porch of her studio indulging in her morning cigarette.

As Luke walked over to see them out, she grabbed on to his hand. "Hey, Luke?"

Hearing the tone in her voice, he responded with a hesitant, "Yeah?"

Lacing her fingers through his, she turned on her best flirtatious tone. "Do you want to be the best person ever and walk with Rory and me to the school today?"

Sighing, he cocked his head at her wearing a knowing look. "Why would I want to do that?'

"Just because… It doesn't seem too busy in here. I'm sure Caesar could watch the place for a few minutes while you walk with us." Noticeably, she jilted her head towards the window in the direction of the studio.

"The school's not even five minutes away. I'm pretty sure you can make it without me."

"Well, considering that the path to school passes in front of a certain _someone's_ place of business, I thought it might be nice for you to come so that we can tell that certain _someone_ that situation you were telling me about last night." She stressed each "someone", hoping he'd take the hint.

"Someone? Who the hell is…Oh…" Seeing her smile and feeling her run her bare left-hand fingers back and forth through his, he knew immediately what she was implying. "Uh yeah, sure. Just let me tell the kitchen and I'll meet you on the steps."

As soon as the door shut behind Luke, Lorelai spoke dramatically as she nudged Luke's side. "Oh, wow. Is that Miss Patty? I wonder if anyone has any news to share with her."

Looking over to the porch, Luke saw Patty looking at him expectantly as they walked towards her on the sidewalk. "Nope. I can't think of anything." He teased. Feeling Lorelai slap his shoulder, he chuckled, sliding his arm around her and pulling her close. "Yes, there's news. But why don't we let Rory tell her? She looks pretty excited."

As she had been on the walk her, Rory was skipping circles happily around. Hearing Luke's question, she stopped immediately and gasped. "Can I tell her, mommy?!"

Seeing the eagerness in her eyes, Lorelai smiled. "Sure, why not."

"Yay!" Scrambling from in between them, she dropped their hands and ran over and up the steps of the studio. "Hi, Miss Patty!"

"Well, hello dear. You seem awful happy this morning." The older lady grinned

"I am! I'm excited!"

"Is it a special day at school today?"

"No! Mommy is getting married! Daddy asked her to marry him!" She explained giddily, bouncing from foot to foot.

Placing her cigarette in the tray beside her, Patty's eyes widened. "He actually did it." Looking up from Rory to see Luke and Lorelai at the bottom of the stairs, she observed the couple. "I don't see a ring, Lorelai."

Smiling, she reached in her pocket and pulled out the ring, handing it to Luke. "Here, you can have the honor of doing it twice, babe."

Slipping it on the finger, Luke laced his fingers through hers and looked up at Patty. "There you go. You saw it firsthand. Go crazy."

"You dont have to tell me twice," Patty cackled. "Congratulations you three, I'll have everyone knocking at your door within the next hour."

All three of them watched as she scrambled off for the phone. As she had going up them, Rory came bounding back down the stairs.

"It's not a secret now?" She questioned hopefully. "Can I tell Lane at school!"

Looking over at Luke, Lorelai shrugged. "What do you think babe?" At his nod, she smiled and turned back to Rory. "You saw the nod, sweets. We say go for it."

"Okay! Let's go!" Bouncing around in front of them, Rory took off in the direction of the school. Laughing, Luke and Lorelai followed slowly behind.

"Who would have thought she would be just as excited, if not more, than we are," Luke chuckled, watching Rory dance around in front of them.

Smiling, Lorelai burrowed further into his embrace. "I get it…She gets to wear a pretty dress and gains a dad for life. What more could a girl ask for?"

Reaching the end of the sidewalk, Rory turned around and waved her arms dramatically. "Come on slow pokes! I don't have all day!"

"Come on, we better walk faster," Lorelai laughed. "She might explode if she has to wait much longer."

* * *

"Alright, here's the plan," Sookie directed, looking in the diner windows to see what tables were available. "I'll go in and snag us a big table while you talk with everyone who undoubtedly will want to see the ring. Once you're done, we'll order our food, and the wedding planning will commence."

"Sounds like you're ready for this, Sook." Lorelai laughed. Grabbing her arm, she pulled her with her up the diner steps. "Just make sure you etch in some time for me to make googly eyes at my man. He's looking extra fine today."

"Oh, of course, that's already included in the time that people are gonna ask to see the ring."

Dropping her coat off at a chair, Lorelai smiled at her friend. "You know me so well."

Shrugging, Sookie waggled her eyebrows. "What can I say, I'm not the BFOTB for no reason."

"Lorelai," Babette called loudly as soon as Lorelai made a move towards the counter.

Stopping at once, she turned to see Babette and Patty looking at her with knowing grins. "Hi, Babette. Hi, Patty." She answered courteously with a small wave.

Waving her arm in invitation, the older lady cackled. "Get your lucky ass over her and show me the ring. I can't believe you were able to snag Luke once and for all. You've made all of us old broads jealous."

Shooting a grin to Luke, who rolled his eyes, she walked over and held out her hand.

"Gah, is just so beautiful, isn't it Patty?"

"Just gorgeous." Miss Patty cooed in agreement. "Almost as gorgeous as the man who put it there."

"Almost," Lorelai laughed as she played along, knowing Luke was listening in. "These diamonds don't compare to what's hiding under that flannel of his."

"Lorelai!" He growled from across the room, throwing them all into a fit of giggles.

"What? It's the truth" She shrugged. "You're hot, babe. You've just got to learn to accept it."

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. "I'm going to the kitchen."

As he departed, Lorelai smiled. "Thank you, ladies. That round of teasing was very fun. If you don't mind, I'm gonna run over to my table. Sookie and I have some planning to do."

"Oh, you go on sweet heart. Just remember we're expecting a good table at the reception." Patty waved her off.

"Of course. Right next to the bar," She laughed. Walking over to take her seat across from Sookie, she sat down in front of the stack of magazines she had already put out. "Alright, I got past the gossip mill and no one else in this room seems remotely interested in talking to me. Are you ready for this?"

"You know I am!" Clapping excitedly, Sookie opened a notebook and grabbed a sparkly pink pen. "So, what are your initial thoughts about your wedding?"

"Well, it should be legal," Lorelai teased.

"L-e-g-a-l." Sookie spelled the word out loud as she wrote it down, making Lorelai laugh. "Good. Okay, and after that?"

"After that, I'm out. I have no ideas," she shrugged.

"Okay, boring! I got it… How about a church wedding?"

Thinking on it for a second, Lorelai tossed her eyes up to the ceiling before shaking her head. "Maybe… I don't know."

"Ooo! A beach wedding, huh? No shoes. Luke can wear shorts…" Sookie faltered off..

"No." Smiling, she looked over at Luke as he walked by. "But I want to be with you when you pitch the shorts idea to Luke."

"Okay… Well, we don't have to decide the venue yet. Let's move on." Opening the magazine across the table from her, Sookie pointed to a few dresses. "I think any of these would look good on you. Any thoughts on the dress?"

"There should be one."

"Okay, doing great here…"

Before she could ask anymore questions, Luke came up to the table with his order pad out. "Are you guys gonna order?"

"Why, do you want to make me something," Lorelai teased, leaning back in her chair. "If you want, you can bring me the largest cup of coffee of all time." At this frown, she laughed. "Or my special mug will do."

"Is that all? It doesn't look like you're gonna eat anything." He stated.

"Oh my gosh." Her jaw dropping, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You want our table, don't you?"

"Uh, yeah… If you haven't noticed, we're swamped." He answered, gesturing to the busy dining room.

"Luke, I'm your fiancée." Lorelai spoke smoothly, reaching out and taking his hand. "That doesn't buy me a little extra time? I'm using it to plan our wedding."

"Well plan it at the counter."

"You want a counter planned wedding? Seriously?"

Opening his mouth to answer, Caesar called out a loud, "order up," and cut him off. "Coming right up." Luke called back. Looking back at Lorelai, he shook his head. "Forget I said anything."

Watching him walk away, Lorelai almost didn't hear Sookie start questioning her again.

"Hey! That's a pretty dress… It's white. You want to wear white, right?"

"Ummm, maybe. I'm not sure," She shrugged, her eyes moving over the choices of dresses that had been placed in front of her. "White is just so… white, you know?"

"So you do or don't want to wear white?"

Overhearing the question as he walked by, Luke stopped in his tracks and turned back to the table. "Of course you're gonna wear white. Brides wear white. That's the rule."

"Says who?" Lorelai countered, arching a brow at him.

"Well, uh, you have to wear white. My mother wore white. Her mother wore white. I'm sure her mother's mother wore white."

"Luke, Luke, Luke, Luke, Luke," Sookie interrupted loudly, holding her palm out in front of his face. "Do you know who I am?"

"You're Sookie," He answered plainly. At her frown, he narrowed his eyes at her. "Am I supposed to have a different answer to that question?"

"Today you are. I'm not just Sookie. I'm Sookie BFOTB." She explained poking his chest. "Best Friend of the Bride. It's my responsibility to help plan this event, to talk through all the details, to taste the cake and pick the invitations, and to keep you, the fiancé of the bride, from having to pretend to be interest in things he has no interest in."

"I have an int…" He countered, raising his voice, but she cut him off.

"No you don't!"

"I have an interest, Sookie!"

"But I'm BFOTB! It's not your responsibility!"

"Luke, the turkey melt is up," Caesar called out again, effectively interrupting them for a second time.

Frustrated, Luke ran his hands over his face and sighed. "You know what? Fine. Have fun planning. I've got work to do."

* * *

As they continued to plan, or at least Sookie continued to try to plan while Lorelai got more and more confused, occasional visitors to the table would interrupt asking to see the ring, how the proposal happened, and pretty much every other question the human mind could think of. While answering everyone, Lorelai could see the aggravation on Luke's face as the crowd at the diner never seemed to calm down as a result.

"Hey, Sook," Lorelai spoke up, not taking her eyes off Luke, who was intensely scrubbing at the counter.

"Yeah? She answered, looking up from the magazine in front of her.

"I'll be back in a few. I'm gonna take a break to go see my man." Sliding out of her seat, she sauntered up to the counter with a big grin. "Has the crowd gotten to you yet? Am I going to be the only person not thrown out of the diner within the next hour?"

"I might throw you out with them. Then this place would actually be quiet." He answered nonchalantly, Then this place would actually be quiet."

"Haha." Taking a sip of the coffee that had found its way in front of her, she looked up at him with knowing eyes. "You must not hate it too much, because word on the street is that you gave everyone free coffee after I left this morning."

Shrugging, he tried to play it off, but the grin Lorelai wore on her lips caused one to quickly rise on his. "What can I say? We had something worth celebrating." Leaning back against the counter across from her, he watched her for a moment before clearing his throat. "So... uh, were you serious about that whole planning thing?"

Since she had just lifted her mug to her lips, she was unable to answer him but arched a brow in question.

"Are you and Sookie really planning on doing the whole thing yourselves?"

Realizing his question, she swallowed quickly. "Uh, yeah. I guess. I need someone to plan it with, and I figured doing it with her would be cheaper than hiring a planner. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah, yeah. That's fine," He answered, looking back down at the counter and wiping it again. "I was just checking. I thought people usually talked to professionals about this stuff too and I didn't know if you were going to do that."

Unable to help it, she narrowed her eyes at him. Part of her wasn't buying his explanation, but she also knew she wouldn't get anything out of him in public. "Okay… Well, I guess I'm gonna go back with Sookie, but make sure to walk by every once in a while." At his curious look, she grinned mischievously. "I like looking at ya."

Rolling his eyes, he leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Behave and try to use your eyes only. I'd rather not have a repeat of dropping plates on the floor because you can't keep your hands to yourself when I walk by."

Returning his kiss, she slid from the stool, her grin still wide. "I make no promises."

* * *

Later that week, the newness of the engagement had finally died down some, much to Lorelai's dismay but Luke's happiness. At this moment, unlike the rest of the week, they could finally walk through the town without being stopped every five feet for questions.

"Isn't it such a nice night for a stroll through the square," Lorelai questioned dreamily, holding Rory's hand on one side of her and Luke's on the other.

"It would be if you weren't dragging me to a meeting," Luke groused, rolling his eyes. "Who schedules a town meeting on a Friday night anyway? I can think of a thousand better things to do with my time than listen to Taylor ramble on and on about town parking laws."

"Oh can in, Grumpzilla," She retorted, squeezing his hand. "This is the first meeting you've gone to in over a month. I think you can handle this for a little while."

Rollig his eyes at her, a smirk rose on his lips. "Grumpzilla?"

Shrugging, she smiled. "I figured Señor Grouchy Pants was getting old. It's time for something new."

"And you chose Grumpzilla?"

"I think that's a funny name, Daddy," Rory spoke up happily, looking up at Lorelai with a grin.

"Well, if you like it, hon, I think we'll keep using it," Lorelai agreed. Looking up at Luke again, she noted his frown and laughed. "What? You don't like your new nickname?"

"I prefer the name Luke, if you don't mind." He deadpanned. "Since it is _actually_ my name."

"Actually, your name is really Lucas. I can always start calling you that if you'd like." She grinned, refusing to cower under his glare.

"You're maddening."

Reaching the studio, he found the door already closed and frowned. "I thought you said the meeting started at 6:30."

"Well," She drug out the word dramatically. "It may have started at 6:00 but we really needed snacks. Taylor said tonight's could be a long one, so I wanted to make sure we were prepared."

"Lorelai," Luke sighed, rolling his eyes.

"What? Rory and I got some carrot sticks for you," She answered, gesturing to the food bag Rory was carrying on her back.

Holding up a hand, he shook his head. "I don't need to see. All I'm saying is that Taylor better not say one word about us being late unless he wants to find that bag of carrots flying at his face."

Opening the door quietly, Luke led them into the studio where they found three open seats in the back.

"All those who think Andrew was in the wrong, arms raised." Taylor called from the podium, and several people raised their hands. "Alright, and all those who think that Gypsy was at fault, arms raised." This time even more hands went up. "The majority rules." He commanded, banging his gavel at the verdict. "Gypsy is at fault for the fender bender outside the Stars Hollow Garden Center and shall be responsible for all said damages."

Sitting down in a huff, Gypsy yelled, "Ha! We have got to get a courthouse in this town!"

"Looks like we're here just in time," Lorelai whispered happily as she unzipped the snack bag. "It sounds like this meeting is going to be a good one."

"All right, let's move on to the next order of business for the night… Hmmm," Taylor called, examining the list of topics in front of him. "Oh, yes, a very serious matter has been brought to my attention, and I would like to bring to the floor for discussion the possible negative ramifications of the inn desk manager and diner owner uniting in marriage."

Gasping, Lorelai froze before she could pop an Oreo into her mouth. "That's us!"

Gripping the chair he was sitting in angrily, Luke frowned. "Their talking about us!"

"Now, as you all know, the wedding some of us have feared for some time has emerged, and we need to carefully consider whether or not we can support this," Taylor rambled on, oblivious to the obvious objection by the couple in question.

"Oh my gosh," Lorelai whispered as Luke yelled, "We're sitting right here, Taylor!"

"Yes, we see you, Luke, and as a member of the town, you are welcome to voice your opinion."

"Voice my…"

Banging the gavel, cutting him off, Taylor continued loudly. "I open the floor up for discussion." As the crown murmured amongst themselves and a few hands raised, Taylor shook his head. "All right, I'll start. As everyone knows, this wedding could have serious economic consequences for this town. Each business in this community would no doubt prefer to provide the services for the marriage ceremony but seeing as though we assume the couple's budget wouldn't allow for such things, there is no way to ensure that Stars Hollow business would get an equal cut of revenue generated from this event."

"What the hell is he talking about," Luke exclaimed to Lorelai in disbelief.

"Well, apparently he's not happy with our engagement unless it benefits town business."

Rambling on, Taylor's voice grew louder as the murmurings of the room increased. "Think of the consequences, people! What will happen if some businesses generate 15% of the revenue while others generate a measly 3%. This whole town could go into anarchy. Think of the riots. Since it could be bad for the economy, that means this marriage could be bad for the town, so I vote against the engagement."

"Vote against the… what the hell, Taylor!" Luke yelled, jumping up from his chair.

Being the only person truly listening to Taylor's words, Kirk turned back to Luke. "You know, he's probably right Luke. If the…" At Luke's glare, Kirk cowered back into his seat. "Never mind."

"I think you're overreactin', Taylor," Babette yelled out above the noise of the crowd. "I'm sure all the businesses and stuff will just be happy to see those two getting' married. Who cares about the money."

"Who cares about the money?" He scoffed in response. "Babette, need I remind you that if some stores don't get enough revenue, they could shut down? Town business normally booms with town events. We can allow this wedding to destroy that progress."

"Gosh, this sounds awful," Lorelai spoke just loud enough for Luke to hear her. Tugging on his hand, she got him to look down at her. "What if our wedding kills the town economy? Maybe he has a point."

Dropping back in his seat quickly, he took her hands in his. "No, they don't have a point."

"But how do you know that?'

Staring at her for a second, he shook his head. Unable to help it, he jumped back up and yelled over the crowed, quietening them all at once. "This is crazy! I don't believe that our wedding alone will damage the economy of this town!"

"Well, lucky for you, Luke, I brought charts," Taylor smirked, sliding this posters from behind him.

"You have charts concerning a wedding that hasn't even happened yet? Where the hell could you even get those numbers?"

Holding them up for the town, Taylor pointed to the various line graphs and maps he'd created. Before he could even begin to elaborate, Babette spoke up again. "I think your map's a little off Taylor! There's no way Luke would spend more money at Doose's than at Tim's Butcher shop. I think you're just dreamin'"

"Okay, that's it, I've heard enough." Fed up, Luke stormed up to the stage and yanked the posters out from Taylors hands and turns back to the crowd. "This is my relationship and engagement! Mine, not yours, not yours, not yours!" Turning to Lorelai, he pointed, "Yours!" Throwing the posters to the ground, he looked back to the podium and continued. "But it's sure as hell not yours, Taylor!"

"Yeah!" Turning to the back of the room, Luke saw Rory standing on her chair, her tiny fist raised. "Daddy and Mommy are getting married, Taylor!" She yelled.

Unable to help it, Lorelai broke out into laughter. "You tell em sweets!"

"Luke, you might need to go back their and control your girls." Taylor spoke haughtily, smirking at Luke's tense demeanor.

"And you might want to control yourself before you that gave find's itself being banged on another shiny surface." Luke countered, gesturing to his head.

Rolling his eyes, Taylor refuse to let up. "Fine, but I have to inform you, in the event that the wedding destroying the town economy…"

"It's not going to destroy the town economy, Taylor!"

"But if it does…"

"Fine." Gritting his teeth, Luke stepped up on the stage. "In the case that we _somehow_ screw up the entire town economy, I will find a way to right it with my own money."

"Can we have your word on that?"

"You can have my word and a couple of middle fingers on that." Luke groused, crossing his arms in front of him.

Turning to Patty, Taylor gestured to the pad of paper next to her. "Quickly, get that down. We have his word. Leave out the part about the fingers." At Patty's not, he turned back to the crowd. "All right, people, it seems that the issue of Gilmore and Danes vs. Stars Hollow has been resolved. See you all next week when everyone gets fingerprinted for the government. Meeting adjourned."  
As the townspeople filed out, Lorelai, grabbing Rory's hand, walked up and joined Luke near the stage."

"Wow!" She smiled, eyeing Luke up and down. "That was quite the show you put on."

Stepping towards them, he chuckled nervously. "Yeah…. You still in?'

"You bet I am." Planting a kiss to his cheek, she gestured down to Rory and smirked. "So, what did you think of this one's back up? She really rallied behind you, huh?"

"She sure did." Smiling, Luke reached down and picked Rory up, squeezing her tightly and making her laugh. "Thanks, Princess."

"You're welcome! Taylor was being a meanie." She frowned, glaring at the man in question over Luke's shoulder.

Chuckling at her daughter's antics, Lorelai stepped forward and placed a hand on her back. "He was… But you know what, I think that's enough talk about Taylor for one night. What do you say to stopping by the diner and getting some pie as a treat, sweets?"

Perking up, she looked at Luke with wide eyes. "Can we, Daddy?"

"You know what, why not?" He smiled. "I think we deserve it."

"Yay!" Kicking her little feet, she scrambled out of Luke's grasp and ran over to the door. "Come on, Mommy, let's go!"

* * *

After their stop for dessert and a long story time, Luke and Lorelai found themselves getting ready for bed after what felt like an eternal night.

Stepping into their room after Luke, Lorelai closed the door behind her and flopped down on the bed heavily. "We've only been engaged for about a week, and I'm already stressed about the wedding."

Concerned, he turned to look at her with a frown. "Has the planning thing with Sookie not gone well?"

"No, it's going fine." Removing her glasses, she dropped them on the night stand and rolled to prop herself up on her elbow and look at him. "There's just so many options, and with Taylor trying to put in his two cents, it's even worse."

"I'll deal with Taylor, don't worry about that." Slipping his flannel and t-shirt over his head, Luke turned to the dresser and shrugged. "But I'm sure whatever you and Sookie come up with for the rest of it will be fine."

Normally his undying belief in her abilities would warm her hard, but she couldn't help but notice the detachment in his voice that wasn't there before… and for some reason, it bothered her. Seeing the slightly tense set of his shoulders, she could tell he had something else to say. "Luke?"

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Hearing what she thought was a hint of disappointment in his voice, she looked at him curiously and searched through her mind for where his mood had shifted. Fear gripped her heart when she realized that it started when they began discussing wedding planning. Though unsure whether she really wanted to know the answer to her own question, she spoke up quietly. "You still want to get married, don't you?"

"Of course." Shocked to hear her say it, Luke turned to face her, concern etched in his face. "Do you?"

"More than anything." The genuineness in his answer calmed her, but she could still tell something was off. _"If it's not out marriage alone, it has to be.."_ She thought, but it suddenly clicked. "You want to help plan, don't you?"

Shrugging, Luke turned back around to avoid her eyes and slipped his jeans off. "Nah, it's probably best that you guys do it."

" _Bullseye."_ She thought. Deciding to test him, she countered, "So you wouldn't mind If we had orange and magenta as our colors? Maybe some neon yellow tulle lining the isle that we walk?"

"Whatever you want.' He answered nonchalantly.

"No, I don't think so."

At her disagreement, Luke finally turned back around to see her looking at him wearing a wide smirk. "What do you mean, no? Haven't you and Sookie already agreed to plan all this?"

"Nothing's set in stone. Decisions can be changed… Luke, this is our wedding. _Our wedding_ ," Lorelai emphasized with a smile. "I only said that I would plan with Sookie because I didn't think you'd want to be involved. If you want to, we'll plan it together, just me and you," She explained. Not wanting him to think she was merely placating him and wasn't being genuine, she added, "Of course, that is if you really want to do it."

Dropping his clothes from the day in the hamper, he walked over to the edge of the bed. "I do… Is that bad?"

Shaking her head adamantly, Lorelai answered, "Of course not! I love that you want to… Plus, we make a damn good team, if I do say so myself."

"What about Sookie?"

"She'll get over it. She still gets to go dress shopping and stuff with me, so she'll still have a role."

Still seeing the hesitance in his eyes, she crawled over to him and sat up on her knees, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her cheek against his now bare shoulder. "Please, please, please, Luke," She whined dramatically.

Unable to help chuckling, he planted a kiss to her forehead. "Lorelai…"

"No, I won't stop!" Squeezing him harder, she began to laugh. "I want you to plan this wedding with me! I _need_ you to plan it with me! The weeding can only reach its highest level of magnificence if you plan it with me," she teased.

Rubbing up and down her back, Luke complied. "Well, if you _need_ it."

"That's right. You're my husband-to-be. You're supposed to fulfill my needs."

"Fine. I'll help," He chuckled. Taking his had off his head, he flipped it around, placed it on her head backwards, and stepped closer to her. "So, are there any other needs that I need to fulfill?"

"Ful _fill_ , dirty!" Lorelai grinned naughtily.

At his arched brow she tapped her chin, mocking deep thought, before smiling. "You know what? As a matter of a fact, there is something you can do for me." Running her hands up his shoulders, she took his face in her hands and brought his lips to hers in a searing kiss. Pulling back, her lips brushed his softly as she whispered, "The fridge handle is wiggling. Think you could fix it?"

Pushing her back on to the bed, Luke made her laugh. Shaking his head, he stepped away from the bed. "You know what? I think I'll go do that now."

Still laughing, Lorelai clapped her hands together in a plea as she spoke dramatically. "Oh no, don't go! How will I live without your love for the next five minutes! I think I'll just die, baby! Surely I'll die!"

"Shhh!" He commanded, not wanting her to wake Rory. Unable to hold back, he chuckled and opened the door. "Maybe while I'm gone you'll learn not to be such a tease."

"No, come back! I've learned my lesson," She pled further, extending her arms out to him.

Shaking his head, Luke shut the door and made his way over to the bed, immediately stretching out over her. "You're a mess. I hope you know that." He pretended to grumble, but no real anger could be found in his voice. "I don't know what to do with you."

"I can think of plenty of things you can do with me, if you'd like suggestions." Lorelai smiled, pecking his nose.

"Oh yeah?" At her nod, Luke ran his hands down her arms, capturing her hands and bringing them up above her head. "I think I'll use my own idea, if that's alright with you."

* * *

"I think this thing looks better on you than me," Luke joked, removing his had from her head and tossing it to the floor. With the barrier gone, he began fiddling with her hair, twirling the strands around his finger.

Sighing happily, Lorelai curled up against him, her hand stroking his abdomen absentmindedly. "Mhmm."

"You're quiet… You okay?"

Tilting her head up to look at him, she smiled. "Just content… I don't think that _this_ will ever get old."

"God, I hope not," he agreed, planting a kiss to her head.

Falling back into silence, Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand, lacing her fingers through his and resting it on his stomach. Her ring sparkled, even in the dim lamp light of the room, bringing a smile to her face.

"Hey, Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we plan something now?" She whispered, wiggling her ring finger back and forth, drawing his eyes to it.

"Sure."

"When do you want to get married?"

Without hesitation, Luke spoke plainly. "Tomorrow?"

Though she wasn't exactly sure why, Lorelai laughed softly. Rolling over on top of him, she rested her chin on her now folded hands. "I'm being serious."

"So am I." He grinned.

Cocking her head at him, she arched a brow. "You really want to get married tomorrow?"

"I'll marry you any time." He shrugged. "But I want you to have a wedding, and those things take time to plan, don't they?"

"They do, so tomorrow isn't practical… But the sentiment is nice." She smiled, pecking his lips softly. "How do you feel about the end of summer? Around the end of August or early September?"

"Why then?"

"There's too much going on at the end of the year, with yours and Rory's birthdays, Thanksgiving, your dark day, Christmas, and the New Year, but I also don't want to wait until this time next year… And let's be honest, anything earlier might be too soon to get everything together."

It was apparent to him that she had thought long and hard about her answer, and he couldn't deny the logic of it. Brushing a curl out of her face, Luke answered, "I think the end of summer sounds great…" Seeing her immediately wider and brighter smile, he pushed further. "Do you have a date in mind."

"Ummm…" Looking down, Lorelai traced shapes on his chest before speaking up. "September 7th?" At his raised eyebrows, she elaborated further. "I looked at the calendar, and I don't see any kind of conflict with it… I already had this date in mind this morning, but I didn't want to decide it without you. Even with Sookie helping, I didn't want to set the date in stone without your input." She rambled.

"Lorelai…" He spoke up, interrupting her stream of chatter.

Stopping, she noticed the grin on his face. "What?"

"So, September 7th, huh?" He murmured, bringing his arms up around her back, pulling her tighter against him. At her small not, he added. "That's only around six months away."

"I know," She answered, a smile crossing her face to match his. "It's fast."

"Can we plan it in time?"

"As long as you and Rory are there, I don't care about the rest."

Pulling her up to him, Luke brought her in for a long, warm kiss. Pulling back, he caressed he cupped her cheek before whispering. "It's a date."

Lorelai was sure that the happiness that appeared in her eyes was unlike he'd ever seen. Answering him, she returned his kiss gently before squeezing him tight and whispering in his ear. "It's a date."

* * *

 **A/N: There is sooooo much I want to say in this author's note, so buckle up, because it's gonna be a long one...**

 **1\. Have any of you had issues uploading to this site? Sometimes I have no issue, and other times, what I upload never appears. I can't tell you how many times I've had to re-upload chapters like this just so people could actually see them. (And yes, before anyone asks, I do wait the "30 minutes" to see if my changes/uploads appear, and a lot of times, they don't.)**

 **2\. I really hoped that everyone liked the proposal chapter! There were fewer reviews than I usually get, but I just take that as all of you were so shocked and in love with the scene that you were too overwhelmed to even type! (Seriously, though, I'm not fishing for reviews here. Whether or not y'all comment makes no difference to me because I am gonna write this story either way, but I just like knowing everyone's opinions.)**

 **3\. Did anyone else really want to see Luke and Lorelai plan their wedding together in the OG series? I get that Sookie was BFOTB, but I really think that Luke had an interest in planning with Lorelai. That's really where my idea for most of this chapter came from... In all honesty, this is what I wanted to happen with the whole BFOTB thing.**

 **4\. I'm toying with the idea of Luke adopting Rory. On one hand, I REALLY don't want to have to keep bringing in everyone's least favorite slimy sperm donor if Luke doesn't adopt Rory, so the adoption idea is appealing. On the other hand, I have a hard time seeing a situation where he-who-shall-not-be-named would give up his parental rights to Luke for adoption. Yes, he didn't want to be an active dad, but he didn't want anyone else to either, and I can't see him giving rights to Luke. What do y'all think?**

 **5\. The issue of Emily is also a bit of a sticky situation for me right now. (That's why the whole parent issue wasn't addressed in this chapter.) Once again, on one hand, Emily is an easy drama piece, so keeping her in opposition to Lorelai makes for an easy plot. On the other hand, I really want to have some kind of relationship to develop between Lorelai and Emily so 1) I don't have to keep writing Richard and Emily in opposition to each other (because that honestly didn't happen that often in the real series) and 2) I can bring in the Gilmore's in scenes without writing a whole bunch of arguments. I feel like after a while, only so many "bad" things can be said between Lorelai and her parents in an argument without them becoming repetitive.**

 **If you made it through this note, THANK YOU! This story is hard for me to write sometimes, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope y'all have too.**

 **XOXO S.**


	42. Chapter 42: To Parent or Not to Parent

**Chapter 42: To Parent or Not to Parent?**

Walking in the door Tuesday night, Luke shrugged off his jacket tiredly with a sigh, happy to be rid of the long work day he had. As he walked towards the kitchen, laughter spilled out into the hall, bringing a smile to his face. Standing in the door way, he observed Lorelai and Rory playing yet another round of "Guess What I'm Thinking"

"Ugh! We never get it right." Lorelai exclaimed, dramatically laying her head down on the table, much to Rory's delight.

"Because we're not mind readers, Mommy!" Rory answered, throwing her head back in laughter.

Gasping, she feigned surprise. "Nope! I refused to believe that. Twins can do it, and we're closer than twins, so I think we can definitely do it..." Holding up her fingers to her temples, she counted down. "Okay, think of a food. 1,2,3..."

"Pizza!" Lorelai called. "Burger!" Rory yelled.

Nonchalantly from the doorway, Luke called out, "Salad."

When both of them heard his answer, their heads immediately flicked towards him with a frown. "Ewww."

"It's not ew, it's healthy." Sitting the to go box of the leftover pie he brought home, Luke watched as smiles grew on both of their faces.

Pointing wildly, Rory spoke loudly. "That's not healthy!"

"Oooo," Lorelai cooed, her eyes brightening as he transferred the boysenberry pie onto a plate to warm up. "No it's not, but it's delicious."

"If you like a sugar coma on a plate, then I guess it is." Luke rolled his eyes. Turning back to them, he leaned against the counter. "So, anything interesting happen since I saw you guys this morning."

"Well, aside from Rory bringing back yet another _perfect_ spelling test, it's been a calm day." Lorelai spoke, pride evident in her voice.

"Another 100?" He questioned Rory with a grin, speaking with mock disbelief.

"105! I got the bonus word, Leprechaun. It's spelled l-e-p-r-e-c-h-a-u-n." She spelled proudly.

"Awesome job, princess." Walking over, he high fived her. As the microwave beeped, he headed back over to check the pie. Finding it cold, he put it on for longer, chuckling at the sigh that escaped Lorelai's lips when he had to put it back in for longer. Flicking his chin at her as he turned around, he questioned her. "How about you? Any annoying guests or over-prodding town busy bodies today?"

"Nope. Not today... Did you do anything interesting today? Perhaps make plans for the really important event that's going on this week," She prodded, hoping to get a hint.

Feigning innocence, he smirked. "There's something going on this week?"

"It's mommy's birthday, remember," Rory exclaimed.

Winking at her, Luke threw out a nonchalant, "Oh yeah. I had no clue."

Her jaw dropping, Lorelai gasped. "No clue? So you've forgotten about the life changing day, that happens to be this Friday, that brought me, your amazing fiancée and love of your life, into this world."

"Huh, I _guess_ Friday is important, then." He shrugged casually, pushing her buttons.

Turning her chin up and head away from him, she taunted, "Hmmm, well, I _guess_ I'll remember that the next time you want to kiss this masterpiece." Gesturing to herself, a wide smile grew on her face.

"Aw jeez, Mommy," Rory exclaimed, throwing her head in her hands.

Lorelai had a further snarky comment to make to Luke, but immediately froze and turned to her daughter. Hearing her tone and her reaction, she couldn't help busting out laughing. "Aw jeez? Hon, you sound like you're taking after Luke." She smiled over at Luke, who had started laughing too.

"It could be worse." He shrugged. "I'm sure there are a few choice words that have slipped out that she could say."

"Like damn?" Rory spoke up.

"Rory!" Both of them gasped. Lorelai's hand flew to her mouth as she started to laugh harder.

Shrugging with a smile, she explained "It's a bad word that Daddy said! I know it's bad, so I don't say it."

"Well as long as you know you're not supposed to say it..." Lorelai shook her head. "I gotta say, hon, you never cease to surprise me." Taking her gaze away from Rory, she looked at Luke with teasing eyes. "Maybe we need to start a swear jar for you."

"Oh yeah, because _I'm_ the only one who curses around here."

"Are you implying that I would do such a thing?"

As he looked at her knowingly, she couldn't help but crack a smile. Raising her hands in surrender, she ducked her head. "Fine, you're right... between you and me, we could probably fill the jar enough to pay Rory's college tuition."

"Or raise enough money to send you to the crazy house you should be in," Luke deadpanned. Hearing the timer go off, he stood up and walked over to microwave. Grabbing the plate with two pieces, he put them on separate plates with forks and slid them in front of the girls.

"I could've done that myself, you know... I know how to use a microwave." Lorelai smiled as she at her piece of pie.

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. "And let you smoke up the house again? I don't think so."

"That was one time," she argued, pointing her fork at him.

"Really?" At her nod, he countered, "Microwave Popcorn, hot chocolate, leftovers from Al's." He counted off on his fingers.

Huffing, she sat back in her seat. "Fine. three times...but I can still do it."

"I know... I believe you. Just prove me wrong when neither Rory nor I are here just in case."He smirked. Leaning down by her, he planted a quick kiss to her lips. "Now, you guys stuff yourselves full of sugar, and I'm gonna go take a shower." Rory opened her mouth to protest but couldn't speak before Luke quickly continued. "But I'll be back down to read before Rory goes to bed."

At both of their smiles, he grabbed the ice cream from the freezer and sat it on the table. "Have fun making yourselves nauseated. I'll be back."

* * *

When Friday rolled around, the day was going far from what any of the Gilmore Girls or Luke expected. Wednesday morning, Lorelai woke up not feeling well, and by that afternoon she was in the doctor's office finding out she had strep throat and an ear infection. Since then, she'd been holed up in her room, trying not to get anyone else sick and, much to her disappointment, was unable to take part in the birthday celebration that Luke had apparently planned earlier that week.

Late Friday morning, after getting Rory fed and to school, Luke walked into the room to finish getting ready. Tucking his undershirt into his pants he saw Lorelai awake on the bed. "Hey," He spoke quietly, bringing her out of her reverie

"Hey."

Walking over, he grabbed her hand and kissed her forehead. "Happy Birthday, Lorelai."

With a small smile, she answered. "Thanks, babe." Starting to get cold, she pulled the blanket up higher. "This isn't fair. Today is the first birthday where I have a man to party with. But since I'm sick, I can't, and that means no birthday celebration."

Frowning sympathetically, he reassured her. "I promise, we'll celebrate when your better."

"But I want to go out. Birthday girls always get to go out... It's a rule." She responded hoarsely, coughing as she ended her argument.

"Well the only place you're going is back to the doctor if you get worse." At her pout, he shook his head. "Please, just rest and get better. We'll go out and do whatever you want. I promise I'll make it worth your wait."

"Fine." Crossing her arms, Lorelai looked up at him with a frown.

Releasing her hand after giving it another squeeze, Luke walked over and grabbed his belt, sliding it through the loops. Turning to her, he noticed her staring at him. "What?"

"I can't touch right now, but I can still look." She smiled feebly.

Rolling his eyes, he finished putting on his belt, stepped closer, and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her leg through the comforter. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. I've been better. But, I am starting to feel much better than I did yesterday." Shifting to find a more comfortable position, she continued. "Thanks for taking care of Rory this morning...and yesterday...and the day before that."

"You don't have to thank me." He shook his head. "I've got Caesar opening the rest of the weekend too so I can be here in the mornings with her while you are still getting better."

"But what about for dinner? I don't want Caesar to have to run it all."

"Caesars cousin, Mateo, is gonna help. He's just out of high school but Caesar said he was a good kid, and he seemed good when he came in earlier in the week."

She had only been sick for two days. Obviously, Luke had been looking for help before her getting strep. Curious, she looked at him with raised eyebrows.

Able to read her mind, he shrugged. "I've been thinking about adding help for a while now to spend more time here. I'd already talked to Caesar about it a few weeks ago, and this is the best time." Looking down at where his hand was, he continued. "Since we're getting married, I figured I'd need to be around more for you and Rory and, you know, others..."

"You're adorable." Despite her sickness, she couldn't help but smile at the scowl he shot her. "And I really want to kiss you right now."

"Yeah, well, don't," He smirked, squeezing her shin. "Rory needs at least one of us to be functioning."

"Fine..." Lifting her hand to her lips, she blew a kiss his way. At his narrowed eyes, she smiled. "Okay, now you catch it."

"I what?"

"You catch it. I blew you a kiss, so you have to catch it. Like this." She went through the motions.

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. "Lorelai..."

"Please, Luke. I'm sick," She whined quietly, poking out her bottom lip.

Under her pouty gaze, he broke. Using his free hand, he made the catching motion and brought his hand to his lips like she showed him.

She couldn't help but laugh, bringing a smile to his lips. "I can't believe you just did that..."

"I know. I can't either." Luke chuckled, amazed by the things he would do for her.

Burrowing further down into the bed, she looked at him adoringly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Standing up, he walked over to the closet and grabbed a flannel. "I think I'm going to head out, but I'll be back with Rory once school gets out. Call me if you need me."

Grabbed his wallet from the nightstand and turned to her. "I'm probably gonna run to Doose's when I pick up Rory so I don't have to leave her here all by herself with you later. Is there anything that you want specifically?"

"Is ice cream an option?"

"No. You're not supposed to have dairy if you have a fever."

"But I don't have a fever!"

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Luke spoke to her sternly. "Not right now, but you've had one in the last 24 hours... You're not getting any until you're at least a day free of fever."

Rolling her eyes, she sighed her defeat. "I swear you have an answer for everything."

"When it comes to your well-being, I do." He answered genuinely.

A grin tugged at her lips. Raising a hand, she waved him off. "Fine. Go to the store and get me the boring food, but I expect something _amazing_ when we celebrate later to make up for this crappy birthday food."

"You got it." Luke smiled. Placing one last kiss to her forehead, he left, hoping that by the time he returned, she would be closer to being her normal self again.

* * *

Pulling up to the school later that afternoon, Luke noted how Rory slumped down the stairs wearing a frown. Meeting her at the end of the sidewalk, he observed her carefully. "Hey kid. Everything okay? Did you have a bad day at school?"

"I'm okay," She spoke unconvincingly. Taking his hand in hers, she walked with him to the truck, her eyes never looking up from the ground.

"Are you sure?" At her nod, he decided not to push, hoping she would bring it up later if something was really bothering her. Opening the passenger side for her, he helped her into the truck. "We've got to stop by the store to get some things for your mom. Do you want to come in with me or do you want to go in Weston's and talk to Fran?"

"I'll come with you…" She answered noncommittally. Looking over at him with pleading eyes suddenly, she questioned, "Can we get some ice cream? Mommy ate all the moose tracks, and I didn't get any."

Despite the fact that he wasn't really wanting to buy ice cream, after telling Lorelai he wouldn't earlier, the look on Rory's face had him submitting quickly. "Sure, Rory, but we're gonna make this our secret. Mommy doesn't need to know that we bought it."

"But what if she wants some," She questioned, eyeing him warily.

"Once she's not sick anymore she can have some, but right now, it's not good for her to have ice cream while she is sick."

"But I can give her some when she gets better?"

Smiling at her never-ending concern over her mother, Luke nodded. "You bet. I'm sure she'll love to share it with you when she is better."

"Okay."

Despite his purchasing of the ice cream she asked for, Luke noted that Rory's odd mood remained the rest of the truck ride home. Opening the door and carrying the groceries into the house, he watched as she walked ahead of him, depositing her stuff into her room. When she reappeared, she held a small, purple box. "Daddy?"

"Yeah, Rory," He answered, unloading things from the bags and putting them in their corresponding spots.

"Can I go see Mommy?"

Standing up straight and turning away from the fridge, he thought on it before shaking his head. "You can go, but don't go too far into the room if she is awake. There are still germs in there, and I don't want you getting sick."

"But it's Mommy's birthday! I made her a present." She frowned up at him. "I need to give it to her."

"I know, Rory, and if she's awake you can give it to her, but you dont need to get too close so you don't get sick." At her further pout, he continued. "And you don't want to get sick, do you?"

Sighing, she shook her head. "No..."

"I didnt think so." Walking over, he ruffled her hair. "Don't worry, she'll be better soon, but right now, she needs to rest as much as she can… You can go up there to see her but come right back down if she's asleep."

At his agreement, Rory ran out of the kitchen. Scrambling up the stairs, she ran quickly to their bedroom door. Frowning immediately, she saw Lorelai turned on her side, asleep. Her shoulders dropping, she sulked back downstairs and into the kitchen. "Mommy's sleeping." She spoke quietly as she walked up to Luke.

"I'm sorry, princess." He frowned sympathetically. "Why don't you do your homework and I'll start cooking. When we're done, you can run back up there and see if she woke up."

Sighing dejectedly, she moped over to her backpack. "Okay."

As he turned back to the stove to stir the sauce he had put on to cook, he heard Rory digging around in her bag.

"Look, I did it!" She exclaimed suddenly, holding up graded math worksheet proudly

Looking back from the stove, Luke saw the sheet with a 100 written on it in red pen. "That's awesome, Rory. Good job."

"Can I go show Mommy?" She asked hopefully.

"You just went up there, and she was asleep. Like I said, let's wait a little while, and then you can check again."

"But I want to show her now!" She whined

"Rory..." Luke warned. "No. Not right now. Just wait a little bit."

Huffing, the large frown from earlier returned. Shoving the sheet back in her take home folder, she pulled out the days homework sheets and begrudgingly began working on them.

The kitchen remained in silence for a while, except for the quiet rasping of Rory's pencil and the clatter of Luke's kitchen equipment. While he didn't show it, Luke was worried because the normally-chatty Rory was giving him the cold shoulder. Hoping that the spaghetti, her favorite meal that she requested earlier that morning, would cheer her up, he worked quickly to get dinner ready for her.

Putting the finishing touches on the dish an hour later, Luke scooped some into a plate and placed it in front of her with a large glass of iced tea.

Having put up her homework a long time ago after its completion, Rory held a book in her hands. Lowering the book, she looked at the plate he had set in front of her. "Daddy, I don't want spaghetti," She frowned at the plate. "I want a burger!"

Already back at the stove, Luke froze at her words, surprised that she was against what she had been so excited for earlier in the morning. Sighing, he set the tongs he was using to get the pasta out of the pot down. He wasn't sure what to make of her mood that had stayed around for the day, but he decided to stay firm. Turning back to her, he spoke calmly. "Rory, I made spaghetti because that's what you asked for after school, not burgers, so we're eating spaghetti. I'm not making a burger just for you."

"But I don't want it!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms in front of her defiantly

Having never really dealt with her like this before, Luke wasn't sure how he should deal with combative Rory. Drawing from the only parenting he had witnessed, he pulled the move his father had pulled on him years before when he was a child. "I'm sorry, kid, but it's not up for debate. I'm not fixing anything else, so you either take it or leave it."

"No!" She countered him, dropping her fork loudly on the table. Pushing the plate, she slid it across the table, almost over the edge.

"Rory!"

Ignoring him, she hopped from the chair and stomped off into her room, Leaving Luke to stare at her path in disbelief.

"What the hell," he mumbled under his breath. "You'd think she was a teenager or something."

Staring at the door she had slammed shut, he contemplated his next move. Scolding her for her behavior right then could make things worse but giving in would show that all she had to do to get her way was throw a tantrum. Deciding that giving in wasn't an option, he let the door remain closed and made a plate for himself, knowing that if she wanted to eat bad enough, she would eat what he made just for her.

Around 35 minutes later, as he was washing the dishes to clean up, Rory's door opened quietly, and she slipped out to the table.

Picking up the glass of tea Luke had left in her spot, she sipped of it before speaking up. "Daddy?"

"Yes, Rory?"

"I'm hungry."

Cutting off the water, he grabbed a towel to dry his hands and turned back to her. "Are you ready to eat now?"

"Can I have a burger?"

"Rory…" He warned her, much like he had done earlier.

"But I don't want spaghetti," She pouted again, crossing her arms in front of her.

"I already told you, kid, this isn't the diner, so you don't get to pick and choose. You either eat the spaghetti or you don't get anything else. It's your choice."

Whimpering, she slid back out of the chair. As she neglected to close the door, Luke watched as she dramatically flopped down onto her bed.

It took everything within him not to give in, but he started up the water in the sink again, hoping that he was making the right choice.

* * *

Marching up the stairs heavily a little while later, Luke walked into their bedroom with a groan. Slipping his hat from his head, he squeezed the bill of it in his hands before dropping it beside him.

"Everything okay, hon?" Lorelai spoke up, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Huh?" Surprised, he looked over at her quickly. Walking in, he hadn't even realized she was awake. "Oh, things could be better, but you don't need to worry about it. You just focus on getting better."

At her curious look, he knew he wasn't going to get out of this conversation without elaborating further. Sighing, he just shook his head. "I just don't know how you do this every day."

"Do what?"

"Work, spend time with me, parent Rory, and the million other things you do..."

Intrigued by his answer, she spoke carefully. "Work and spending time with you are easy. Taking care of Rory is work, but it's totally worth it." Noting his sunk shoulders, she asked him curiously. "Did something happen with Rory?"

"You could say that." He murmured.

Immediately stiffening, she eyed him inquisitively. "Are you gonna tell me, or are you just gonna keep it to yourself?"

"It's nothing really bad." He explained, laying back on the bed. "We got home, and she came up her to see you, and you were asleep. She asked about 10 minutes later to come back up here, and I told her she needed to wait a little longer, and she got mad but stayed put."

"Okay... Rory was a little moody, but I fail to see what went wrong here."

Shaking his head, he continued, "That's not all...When I tried to give her dinner, she refused to eat it, even though she specifically asked for spaghetti, and I told her that I wasn't making anything else. So, she got mad and pushed the plate across the table, almost off the other side. I told her she was either going to eat that spaghetti or she could go to her room and come out when she was ready to eat or have a better attitude."

"Did she come out?"

"She did, but she still said she wanted burgers instead of spaghetti, and I told her she either eats the spaghetti or she gets nothing at all. This is not the diner, this is home. She doesn't get unlimited choices. She didn't like that answer, so she went back into her room."

Narrowing her eyes at him, Lorelai straightened up before protesting. "What the hell, Luke?"

Caught off guard by her response, Luke questioned, "What do you mean "what the hell?""

"You sent my kid to her room for the night without dinner? What the hell is your problem?"

Of all things, he couldn't believe she was actually getting mad at him. Immediately going on the defensive, he glared back at her. "My problem is that I made spaghetti because she asked for it, but she wouldn't eat it! I'm not going to go out of my way to make another meal when there is a perfectly good one sitting on the stove _just_ because Rory changed her mind. It doesn't work like that."

"Then give her something else!" She countered him, throwing an arm in frustration. "I'm sure there's some kind of leftovers in the fridge that she would want that wouldn't take long to make."

"That's not the point, Lorelai." He grumbled. Standing up from the bed, he began to pace. "It's not like I'm depriving her of food as punishment for doing something bad; she's choosing not to do it herself! She asked for spaghetti, and that's what she got. I'm not going out of my way to give her anything else. She needs to learn that just because she gets upset doesn't mean I have to cater to her every whim."

"The way you're going about this makes it sound like she's 16! She's not, she's 6!"

"And 6 is a fine age to learn! As much as we ask her input, she doesn't her run this house. She's still a child, and I am the adult. I make the decision!"

"And I don't like your decision. Do you really think I would do that if I was in your place?"

Freezing in place, Luke immediately turned and faced her angrily. "So I'm not allowed to parent by myself is what you're saying? I need to run everything by you?"

"Well, you're not her parent Luke!" Lorelai yelled back, the words slipping out before her filter could catch it. As soon as the words slipped out, she immediately regretted it. "Luke..."

Cutting her off, he stepped closer to the bed and spoke fiercely. "Like hell, I'm not, Lorelai, but right now, someone needs to be! You've been sick, and the only other "parent" she has is heaven knows where traveling the world like the careless prick he is! Unless you were going to drag yourself out of this bed and do it, I was the only option, and I don't _have to_ be here!"

"I know you don't..."

Ignoring her, he continued on. "I've never taken care of Rory like this all by myself, and I've never seen you have to deal with her not eating because she _always_ eats, so this is new for me! I have nothing to go off of, and since she was acting like a brat, I made a decision to do what I thought was best in the situation!" Beginning to walk out of the room, he stopped at the door frame and looked back to her with a stone-cold look. "I did what my father would do…" With that, he walked out the room without another word.

Walking forcefully down the stairs, Luke stopped at the landing before reaching the ground level. Staring out into the living room, he contemplated his next move. He didn't want to go back into the kitchen, at the risk of encountering Rory before he had time to cool off. He didn't want to go back upstairs either for the same reason, as he wasn't ready to continue discussing with Lorelai yet. Normally the couch on the front porch would be an option, but with it still being slightly day light outside, he didn't want to run the risk of encountering nosy neighbors.

With the only real place left to go being the living room couch, he made his way over and sat down, suddenly drained. In his mind, he knew he needed to go back upstairs and finish talking things out like adults, and he would, but not yet. He needed time to cool down.

Leaning his head back against the back, Luke closed his eyes as his mind spun. _"Did I make the right decision?" "Does Lorelai not trust me to parent Rory?" "Am I going to have to fight her like this when we're married?" "Is she going to let me all the way into Rory's life, or do I only get to do specific things?"_

As his mind ran wild with questions he couldn't answer on his own, he flipped on the TV, relieved to immediately find ESPN with a baseball game on.

* * *

But before he knew it, Luke woke up to it being dark outside and there was a shuffling in the kitchen.

Releasing a groan, he worked the kinks out of his neck from his unplanned nap before going in the room to see Rory grabbing a fork from the drawer and sitting down in front of the plate of spaghetti Luke had left out for her.

Wordlessly, he walked over to the fridge, grabbing the parmesan, and sat down beside her, planting a kiss to her hair on the way down. "Do you need anything else?"

"Can I have some more tea?" She asked, looking up at him earnestly.

"You got it…"

After returning to the table with her refilled cup, he watched as she eagerly ate the plate.

"What's going in in that head of yours?" Luke questioned, watching as Rory uncharacteristically didn't speak while she was eating.

As she spun another bunch of noodles around her fork, she looked up at him with a frown. "I miss Mommy."

"I know you do…" He responded honestly. "You're used to spending time with her, and you have been stuck with only me for the past few days… Is that why you got mad earlier? You missed her?"

Nodding, she slurped up the portion on her fork before swallowing and looked back up at him, continuing. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was a meanie."

"It's okay, Rory." He nodded, squeezing her arm. "Just tell me the truth next time before getting upset."

"Okay…"

Before he knew it, she was moving around the last little bit of pasta on her plate in circles, a sure sign that she was full. "Are you done?" He questioned her.

"Yeah. I'm full now." She answered, dropping her fork lightly to the plate.

Taking the almost empty plate, Luke walked it over to the sink, getting ready to wash it. As the water warmed up, he suddenly shut it off, deciding that he could get to the last dish it in the morning. Walking back over to where Rory was sitting, he crouched down and asked, "I know you like to watch movies with your mom, but since she's still upstairs, do you think you want to watch some with me? It's not bed time yet."

"I'm not in trouble," Rory questioned curiously, looking at him with narrowed brows. "I don't have to go to bed early?"

Shaking his head, he answered, "Not this time. Just remember before you yell at me next time, okay?"

At her nod, he patted her leg before standing up. "Why don't you go get your pajamas on and pick out a movie. I'm gonna go change, and I'll come back down here to watch the movie with you."  
As she disappeared into her room, Luke turned and headed into the living room to go back upstairs. Climbing the stairs, he thought about his conversation with Rory, satisfied that what he thought would happen all along happened, but now he had to hash the results out with Lorelai, and that was something he wasn't sure he was looking forward to.

Opening the door to the room, he was immediately greeted with Lorelai sitting up in bed, as she had heard him climbing up the stairs.

Before he even had time to process her being awake, she blurted out a quick, "I'm sorry, Luke."

"Lorelai," He sighed, walking over to the dresser and pulling out his sweatpants.

"No, Luke, hear me out," she begged, patting the bed beside her.

Shrugging off his flannel, he sat down heavily on his side, laying back against his pillow.

"I am so sorry, babe…" Lorelai started off again, hoping he truly understood how sorry she was. "I'm just not used to other people making parenting decisions regarding Rory."

At his lack of word response, she continued on. "And just because you did something that I wouldn't normally do doesn't mean that you were wrong. You didn't hurt her; you just handled it differently than I would have, and I should not have yelled at you for it."

Though hearing all her words and accepting her apologies internally, there was only one sentence he felt would suffice for an answer. "Lorelai, you've got to trust me."

"I do trust you..." She revealed genuinely. "You've never done anything to hurt Rory so far, and I know you'll do your best to keep it that way."

Taking her hands in his, Luke drilled the point. "I'd never do something that _really_ is detrimental to Rory, and you know that. I'd never lay a hand on her, I'd never do anything unsafe. Sending her to her room without dinner by _her_ choice is different."

"I know. I'm just not used to this." Tossing the blanket that was on her legs off of her, she sat crisscrossed and looked straight at him. "After earlier, I thought long and hard about it, and I realized that with us getting married, I'm going to have to get used to you making decisions with Rory, because you are right. Like today showed, I'm not always going to be around to approve everything you do."

"If you're around, obviously I'll let you lead with Rory because you were right, she _isn't_ mine." He stressed, causing her to frown. "But if I'm all by myself, I'm going to go with my gut… Basically, if I haven't seen you deal with it, then I'll base my decisions off what my parents did, and judging by today, their methods didn't always match up with yours."

Taking a deep breath, she released it slowly. "Luke, I trust you, and I can't have you involved half way… If things like today happen again, I want you to do what you think is best because I know you have Rory's best interest at heart."

Sitting for a second, Lorelai picked at the lint of her pillowcase before continuing. "And I didn't mean to throw that "not being Rory's parent" thing in your face either… That was bitchy of me."

Without words, Luke just nodded.

"Nothing to say?

"I don't have anything to add... because it kinda was." He smirked, his teasing letting her know that things were on their way to being right in the world.

Her jaw dropping, she threw the pillow that was beside her at him. "Luke!"

Shielding his head with his arms, he laughed. "I'm glad you did though... It made us talk about something important. It's better that we figure things out about Rory now, rather than later, anyway."

"Yeah, because she's pretty much gonna be your daughter a few months from now... how do you feel about that?"

Smiling genuinely, he reached out to stroke her leg. "Pretty good."

"Even after her bratty moment today?"

"Yes..."

"You know, she has her bratty moments, but it sounds like she was in fine form today..." She spoke, a frown forming on her face.

"Apparently she was upset about that and took it out on the food… She misses you." He admitted. "She told me when she was eating her spaghetti a few minutes ago."

"She ate it?" Lorelai questioned. At his nod, she grinned. "Huh, well look at that. You were right." Looking down at the covers, her smile faltered as she admitted, "I miss her too. I haven't spent a birthday without her since she was in the womb."

Looking at the clock, Luke noted that it had been over two days since she found out she was sick. "You know, the doctor said you're not contagious after 24 hours on antibiotics... we may not be able to go out, but I'm sure she'd like to watch the movie with you."

Looking back over at him, her smile returned as she perked up. "You're right… and she hasn't really seen me since Wednesday... and it is my birthday."

"Go..." He whispered, pushing at her leg.

"You should come too..."

Shaking his head, knowing they needed time together, he declined her. "Nah, I'm gonna lay down. You guys spend time together."

Cocking her head, she questioned him. "Are you sure?"

Flicking his head at the door, he smiled small. "Yeah, you go have fun."

Not having to be told twice, Lorelai quickly changed into some germ-free pajamas and washed her hands before bounding down to the stairs landing. "Evening, sweets"

Rory, surprisingly entranced by the game that was still on the screen, perked up immediately at the sound of Lorelai's voice and scrambled off the couch "Mommy!"

Stepping down to her, she caught her in her arms, pulling her into a tight hug. "Hello, my sweet girl."

Looking up at her, Rory wore a blinding smile. "Happy birthday!"

"Thank you. It's a very happy birthday now that I get to see you." Planting a kiss to her cheek, she walked them over to the couch and plopped down, still holding Rory to her lap. "I've missed you, hon."

Leaning into her neck, she agreed. "I missed you too, Mommy. Are you feeling better now?"

"Im not 100% better, but I'm not contagious, so I can spend time with you." Feeling and seeing Rory jump with excitement, Lorelai laughed. "So, I guess it's okay that I'm watching the movie with you and not your Daddy Luke?"

Shaking her head, she squeezed her mother's neck tighter. "It's okay…" Rushing from her lap suddenly, Rory looked at her with widened eyes. "Can I get you your present first? I made you something!"

"Sure, why not? I like presents."

As Rory giggled and ran towards her room, Lorelai unexpectedly heard Luke clear his throat. Looking up to the top of the stairs, she found him leaning against the wall.

"What?" She questioned, noting the smile on his face.

"Nothing…" He answered, shaking his head. In a move that surprised her, she saw him bring his hand to his lips and throw her a kiss just like she had done to him earlier that morning. "Happy Birthday, Lorelai… Good night."

Smiling widely, she threw one back. "Goodnight, Luke."

* * *

 **A/N: Ugh... It took me almost 20 days to upload this chapter...**

 **I don't know why I had such a problem with it, but I did. It's shorter than the others, and it may seem irrelevant, but I put it in for 2 reasons: 1) It ties into a conversation I have planned out in the next chapter and 2) I got a review a while back about the possibility of a parenting conflict between Lorelai and Luke (Sorry, I can't remember exactly who suggested it), and I thought that was a good idea. With them being such strong personalities, I knew there was no way everything with Rory's parenting would go completely perfect, so I wanted to throw a conversation in about it.**

 **On the bright side, even though _this_ chapter took me 10 million years to write, I started working on the other chapters after this one in the midst of my writer's block, so it shouldn't take as long for those! (YAY!) Anyway, sorry for the rambling note, I just feel weird not telling y'all about why things take so long... I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **XO S**


	43. Chapter 43: Prepare for Battle

**CHAPTER 43: Prepare for Battle**

One day the following week, Lorelai sat at the inn desk, filling out the book for yet another moved booking. Out of nowhere, the phone rang loudly, pulling her from her thoughts and making her jump.

"Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking."

"Hello, Lorelai, it's your mother..."

Tensing slightly, the sound of her mother's voice didn't help her heart rate calm; it probably made it worse. She tucked a curl around her ear before answering. "Uh, hi mom. What can I do for you."

"I was calling to confirm that you are still coming to dinner tomorrow night."

"Yeah, we are..."

"Wonderful." By the tone of her voice, Lorelai could tell there was something she was going to add, so she remained quiet. After what sounded like the ruffling of paper in the back ground, Emily continued. "Now, is there anything specific that you or Luke would prefer for the meal or for dessert?"

Having never been consulted before, Lorelai was caught off guard. "Is there a reason you're asking?" She couldn't help herself but question.

"You have not been to dinner since your engagement and your birthday. Your father and I assumed that you would like to choose the menu since we will be celebrating."

"Oh..." She answered softer than she expected. "Well, as long as there isn't anything like liver or kidney or other random body part, I'm okay with anything for dinner... as far as dessert goes, Luke isnt much of a sweets person, so if you wanted to do something like chocolate cake for the rest of us but put a fruit salad on the side that he can eat, we'd really enjoy it."

"Alright. Are there any other specifications you have?"

"None that I can think of..."

"Alright, I will let Marilynn know. See you Thursday, Lorelai."

"Bye mom." Hanging up the phone, she stared at it for a moment before speaking a quiet, "Huh..."

Grabbing the phone again quickly, she dialed the familiar number and waited for a response.

"Luke's" Luke barked into the phone loudly, covering the noise of the chatter that filled the dining room.

"Hey, it's me. Are you busy, or do you have a minute?"

Looking around the room for a second, he answered. "Uh, Ive got a minute. What do you need?"

Accepting his answer, she jumped right into it. "She called."

"She called?" He questioned her, oblivious to who "she" was

"Yes, she called, and I don't even know what to think about it!"

-"Lorelai..."

"I mean, she's never asked my opinion before, so why now!?"

"Lorelai..."

"Is this some kind of joke? Is she asking me and then going to do the exact opposite to upset me?"

"Lorelai!"

"What?" She stopped her rant suddenly, surprised by his commanding tone

"You think you could let me know who _she_ is before you continue to fly off the handle?"

"Oh. Yeah… _she_ is my mother."

Sighing, Luke stepped back in the kitchen to get away from nosy ears. "So, let me see if I heard you right. Your mother called and asked your opinion on something, and you're confused as to why?"

"Yes." She stressed. "She asked what we would want for dinner and dessert when we go there tomorrow... I don't understand why."

"Okay..." He answered slowly, trying to process. "Did she give a reason?"

"She said that she wanted to celebrate our engagements and my birthday."

"And you don't believe her..." He finished her sentence.

"Of course I don't."

"So what other reason are you thinking?"

"I don't know, but she's my mother. She's always had an ulterior motive."

Taking his hat off, he sat it down and ran a hand through his hair. "It does seem a little weird."

"A little?"

"Okay, a lot..."

"Exactly. It's _a lot_ weird. She has never asked my opinion on dinner my entire life. Why now?"

"Okay. Hear me out..." At her silence, Luke assumed her acceptance, so he continued. "Is it too early to say that _maybe_ she's changing some? _Maybe_ , after the engagement call she realized that she should just accept your life and she's really trying to accept you."

"Shhh! Don't jinx it," Lorelai interrupted quickly. "You said that last time and then all hell broke loose about the loan I took out to buy my house."

"You're the one that wanted a reason, and I'm just trying to give you what would be the most ideal."

"I know..." She frowned. "Let's just try to make it through this strange dinner in one piece before we start thinking she's actually trying with me."

Hearing a loud noise in the diner, Luke looked out to see a group of tourists come in the dining room. "Look, I gotta go, a group just came in and Caesar is on his break. Are you coming in for dinner later?"

"Unless you expect me to turn into Donna Reed in the next few hours and cook you a meal, that's a yes."

"Okay... We'll talk about this then, just try not to freak out yet."

"Ill try but I can't guarantee I'll succeed. Bye, doll."

Hanging up the phone with a sigh, she stared off into the lobby until her thoughts were interrupted by a quiet voice.

"Everything okay, Lorelai?"

Blinking away her reverie, she turned to see the older woman. "Oh, hi Mia... Yeah, everything's fine. I just got off the phone with Luke."

"A call to Lucas in the middle of the day," She questioned with an arched brow. "And you expect me to believe everything is okay?"

Laughing shortly, Lorelai shook her head. "I know...It was worth a shot."

"Maybe one day it will work," Mia agreed. "So, anything you want to share, or was he able to solve whatever it is that's bothering you?"

"It's just my mom. She's being oddly considerate, and that worries me. I vented to Luke, and he listened. We said we'd talk more later."

"If there's one thing that boy is good at, it's not talking," Mia laughed. "Well, I'm here if you need me."

Feeling a little weird about the conversation, Lorelai cleared her throat before Mia could get too far away. "Uh, okay... is that all?"

Smiling, she stepped back over and patted her hand. "I have something that I want to talk with you about, but it can wait."

"Oh, no, Mia, it's fine. I'm fine. What do you need?"

"It's nothing pressing," She answered, waving her off. "It's fine. You worry about your mom today and we'll have the Norris wedding here and you'll have dinner with your parents tomorrow, and you can come talk to me next week when you're well rested from your vacation."

"Are you sure?"

"Completely. I'll check in on you again in a little while."

Normally such a vague conversation with Mia would bother her, but before she could even have time to think about it, a customer arrived to check in and took her attention elsewhere.

* * *

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Lorelai called out the following evening as she busted into the house. Hurrying in, she ran into Luke as she tried to enter the living room.

Reaching out out of instinct, he caught her and himself with a gruff, "Woah..."

"Sorry I'm late." She blurted. "I thought I would be here faster, but things went crazy with the wedding clean up and Mia asked me to help. If you give me 15 minutes, I think I can..." Stopping suddenly, she looked him up and down. "You're completely ready."

Smirking, Luke raised his eyebrows. "Did you think I had to wait on you? Last time I checked, I've been getting ready all by myself for 20 or so years now."

Opening her mouth to answer, she was cut off before she had the chance to respond.

"Rory is almost ready too. We managed without you and she's brushing her hair right now." Taking her shoulders, he guided her to the stairs. "Now, you go get dressed, and I'll make sure everything else between myself and Rory gets done to Emily Gilmore standard."

Stopping at the foot of the stairs, she turned and pecked his lips with a smile. "You're a life saver. I'll be down as soon as I can."

Twenty-five minutes later, Rory sat on the couch with a book as Luke walked up the stair case. Entering the bedroom, he watched as Lorelai somehow slipped into her high heels without even the slightest stumble. "You know, one day, one of those pin thin heels you call shoes are gonna snap and your ankle will too." He grumbled.

"Been there, done that, and I still have both my ankles, babe," She quipped back without hesitation. Looking in her full-length mirror, she smoothed out her dress, eyeing her outfit to ensure everything was in place. Spreading on one last coat of lip gloss, she dropped it on the dresser and turned back to see Luke wearing a concerned look

"You've broken a heel before?"

Flicking a careless hand, she moved to grab her purse. "Of course I have... Every woman has."

"And yet you still wear the death traps as though it never happened." He deadpanned

"Without the heels, I'm more likely to get forehead kisses because of our height difference." She grinned. Walking over to him, she took his hands in hers and pulled him to her, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "With my death traps we're even, and I get more action."

Responding to her kiss with one of his, he pulled back with a grin and ran his fingers through her hair. "Trust me. Heels or no heels, I'm just as willing."

"And that's one of the many things I love about you." Straightening out his tie, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Are you ready to enter the potential war zone again?"

"Ready as I can be."

"There might be lots of conflict, maybe even a little bloodshed," she continued.

Taking her left arm, he laced his fingers through hers and his thumb ran over her ring as he spoke. "And if there is, we'll be fine..." Planting a kiss to the back of her hand, he made her smile. "We can head to Boston tomorrow and forget all about it if it does go bad. Just think, all we have to do is make it through this one dinner and we're on vacation til Monday."

"I can't wait." Squeezing his hand, she pulled him in for one last kiss then with her out of the room. On her way out, she caught sight of the clock and added, "Come on. We're already gonna be a little late. I don't need to give Emily more ammunition than she already has."

* * *

Ringing the door bell, as per usual, they were brought in by the maid. As they entered the living room, they found Richard and Emily already in there. After greetings were announced and drinks were made, they all settled into their typical seat.

Trying to avoid any awkward conversation topics, Luke remained quiet and hoped that someone would take the lead to end the deafening silence of the room that always seemed to linger at these dinners.

"It was a shame you were sick on your birthday. Are you feeling better, Lorelai," Richard finally implored, sitting in his chair after handing them their drinks.

"Uh, yeah, Dad. I'm feeling way better; thanks for asking." Lorelai answered with a small smile.

"Of course. Strep is such a terrible thing to catch."

"Rory did not catch it, did she? It can be rough on children." Emily questioned, looking at Lorelai strongly.

"No, she didn't. She was pretty much quarantined downstairs until I wasn't contagious." Seeing her mother open her mouth, Lorelai immediately knew where she was going.

"And she was cared for in the mean time?"

"She was." She responded quickly, ready with her answer. Her hand that was on Luke's knee squeezed it as she continued. "I found this crazy thing called a Fiancé that, for some reason, likes me enough to take care of my kid when I can't. It's amazing what a help-wanted ad in the paper brings in nowadays."

With an eye roll from her mother and a short chuckle by her father, talk turned to Rory.

As her parents chatted with Rory, Luke leaned over and whispered in Lorelai's ear. "How did they know you were sick?"

"They called while you were at work to wish me a Happy Birthday."At his surprised look, she nodded. "I was pretty surprised too. At least they remembered this year, though. And that's where those flowers came from that are on the kitchen counter by the window. Apparently, they were a small birthday gift for me."

"Huh…" He answered, remembering the bouquet he came home to seeing. "Is it still too early to say their trying?"

"Why don't we wait til' the end of this dinner to say that. I've been proven wrong one too many times about them."

At his nod, they both turned their attention back into the conversation in the room to hear Rory describing the card she made for Lorelai for her birthday.

"That sounds quite nice, Rory. I'm sure she loved it…So, Lorelai," Richard began, shifting the conversation back her way. "I'm assuming due to your sickness, it would be unnecessary of me to ask if you did any celebrating."

"We didn't really do anything." Lorelai answered with a shrug. "I watched a movie with Rory at night after passing the 24-hour antibiotic deadline, but it wasn't much of a celebration. Luke just made spaghetti for dinner, and we stayed in."

"You made spaghetti and meatballs?" Emily suddenly questioned genuinely.

"I did..." Luke responded slowly an arched brow, confused as to why she'd ask.

Trying to hide a grin behind her glass, Emily took a sip of her drink before speaking. "Even I know not to make that." She spoke slyly. "It is notorious for being Lorelai's fight food. There was always some sort of conflict between Lorelai and myself on the nights we had spaghetti when she was younger, and I wouldn't be surprised if she passed it on to Rory."

Taking a drink of his drink, Luke looked over at Lorelai with knowing eyes. Catching his gaze, she looked down at her lap with a smile. This exchange was not missed by Emily.

"I'm guessing you figured that out?" She smirked, rolling her drink around her glass.

"You would be correct." He confirmed with a nod

"Luke is still here and I don't have blue streaks in my hair in an act of rebellion, so you've probably gathered that it couldn't have been _that_ bad." Lorelai interjected smartly, reminding her mother of their argument so many years ago.

"Oh, those blue streaks," Emily rolled her eyes. "I thought we were never going to get those out of your hair. You're lucky you didn't get yourself expelled from school."

"And I guess almost a decade later, you still haven't realized that was my goal." Lorelai answered nonchalantly, tossing Luke a knowing grin.

Before they could speak any further, the conversation was cut off by the maid informing them dinner was ready.

As everyone took their seats, another awkward silence took over the room until Luke spoke up.

"This is delicious, Mrs, Gilmore."

"Thank you, Luke." She nodded. "I'm sure Lorelai mentioned that this menu was picked specifically with the two of you in mind, so it is nice that you are enjoying it."

"Ah, yes. We're celebrating tonight." Richard interjected. "Pardon my forgetfulness. Congratulations on your engagement, Luke, Lorelai."

"Thank you, Dad," Lorelai answered, shooting Luke a smile. Any time the engagement was brought up, couldn't help herself.

"Yes, Congratulations." Emily spoke up. Whether her remark was genuine or out of obligation, Lorelai wasn't sure. "And the wedding? Has anything been set in stone, Lorelai?"

"Um, so far, only the date. Everything else is pretty much up in the air still." Nudging Luke with her foot under the table in warning, she continued. "We are planning on having the wedding on September 7th."

"Lorelai!" Emily gasped loudly, causing Rory to jump and drop her fork. "That's only about 5 months away from now!"

Handing Rory her fork that she had yet to use, Lorelai reassured her with a soft smile before turning back to her mother "Okay... we know that." She answered her plainly.

"That's nowhere near enough time to plan a wedding! There's no way we can get you into the club on such short notice. The wait list is at least a year long!"

"Woah, woah, woah. Hold on!" Lorelai interrupted, her eyebrows furrowed. "Who's _we_? Unless that's me and Luke, I don't know what you're talking about."

"What do you mean who's _we_? Of course, I mean your father and me. You're the bride, Lorelai, and it's only formal that as parents of the bride, we pay for and help plan the wedding."

Seeing the anger building on Lorelai's face, Luke interjected himself into the conversation quickly. "With all due respect, Mrs. Gilmore, it really is up to Lorelai and myself whether or not you pay for the wedding."

"Exactly. I don't see how you could just assume you were paying for it without even consulting Luke and me first," She answered bitterly while she felt Luke squeeze her hand under the table.

"It's not an illogical thing for me to assume, Lorelai. It's merely the tradition for weddings." Emily countered harshly with an eyeroll. "Though knowing you have never done anything the traditional way, I shouldn't be surprised you don't want your father and me involved."

"It's not that I dont..." She began loudly then caught sight of Rory's confused face. Releasing a breath loudly, Lorelai shook her head. "You know what? This is not the time to argue about this. We'll discuss this later."

"So you mean we'll discuss it never, then."

Shooting a cold stare over to his wife, Richard cleared his throat. "How about we finish this now but in a calm way." He spoke to both of them. Turning to his daughter, he looked at Lorelai knowingly. "Surely there is some sort of comprise that the two of you could come up with," He suggested, staring her down.

"Is there, Lorelai," Luke questioned, looking at her. She would kill him for saying it later, but, having seen how fast things could get out of hand, he knew the faster they could get out of the conversation, the better.

The stare down between the two women ended with Lorelai rolling her eyes. "Because compromising goes so well for us."

"You've never really tried to compromise, Lorelai." Emily said plainly, though slight haughtiness was evident in her voice

"Well neither have you!" She countered, her tone rising again.

Before she could start on another rant, Richard interrupted again. "Well, then we will start compromising now... Obviously you would prefer that we didn't pay for the whole wedding, but is there anything you would allow myself and your mother to bear the cost of?"

Begrudgingly, Lorelai looked up to the ceiling. Feeling Luke's eyes on her, she decided to genuinely think about the question. "I haven't decided the budget for the dress yet." She spoke up quietly, looking over at Emily as soon as the words left her lips. She was surprised to see a bit of excitement in her mother's eyes.

"Would you be willing to allow us to pay for it?" Her father inquired.

"Luke?" At his shrug, she knew he was letting her know it was her call. "Fine, Dad. You can cover the cost of the dress."

"The dress and the invitations," Emily countered confidently

"Mom, really?" Under her expectant gaze, Lorelai looked over at Luke and conceded. "Fine...The dress and the invitations..." she agreed, scooping a bite of her appetizer awkwardly with her spoon. Before she brought it to her mouth, she dumped it back onto the plate and pointed to her mother and added, "But neither of you can try to hold this over my head. This is out of the kindness of your heart. It's _not_ a bartering chip for the future."

"This is not a bartering chip," Richard agreed. Despite the conversation's resolution, an air of tension settled over the room. Trying to lighten the mood, he continued. "Now that that is settled, let's take this conversation to a safer topic, shall we?"

At the lack of response by all parties, Richard decided to go with the safest option. "So, Rory, are you doing anything fun this week? Have you been assigned any new books?"

"I am reading _Charlotte's Web_. Have you read it, grandpa?" Rory inquired hopefully.

"I have. What do you think? Is it a good book?"

"Mhmmm! I'm almost done. I am trying to finish it before we go to the baseball game."

"Baseball game?" He questioned, now looking over at Lorelai and Luke.

Speaking up hesitantly, Lorelai divulged the details carefully, knowing her mother would probably find something wrong with it too. "I got Luke some tickets to a baseball game for Valentine's day. It's this weekend, so we're going to Boston tomorrow and staying the whole weekend."

Nodding, Richard smiled. "Well that sounds like it will be a nice time."

Lorelai could see the disapproval in her mother's eye but ignored it. "Luke says it's fun, so I'm sure it will be." She agreed.

"I got a book on baseball rules, too, grandpa," Rory spoke back up.

"Studying the sport before you watch it. That was a very good idea. "

"That's what my Mommy said."

"Well your mother is a very smart woman...You'll have to tell all about the game next time at dinner."

The still tense mood was interrupted by the maid bringing in the second course, allowing everyone in the room a few moments break. Leaning over as the second course was being laid out, Luke whispered in Lorelai's ear. "Just a few more rounds of battle and we're out of here. You think you can make it?"

Laughing softly, her tense mood left her, as she whispered back. "As long as your highness over there stays cordial, I think we'll end the night with no casualties other than the steak in front of us."

* * *

"Alright, now that everyone is finished, I believe it's time that we move on to dessert." Emily spoke up, gesturing to the maid standing by the kitchen door. "Is the cake ready to be served?"

"Cake?" Lorelai perked up immediately, looking towards the kitchen. "There really is cake?"

"That is what you requested, isn't it? Did you think I was joking when I asked during our phone call?"

Much to Lorelai's relief, Emily somehow missed the smirk that appeared on Luke's face at her question. Slyly, she shoved him with his elbow, making him scowl immediately.

"Mom, you didnt have to do this," Lorelai implored as she watched the maid disappear into the kitchen.

"Nonsense. It's your birthday celebration, Lorelai. You get cake." Her mother countered with a no nonsense tone.

"And what if I wanted ice cream instead of cake?"

"Do you want ice cream, Lorelai?"

Under the stare of not only Emily but Richard too, she shook her head. "No, cake is fine... plus it's more fun to watch Luke cringe when he has to eat the icing."

As if it was an automatic reaction, Luke grimaced at the mention of the word icing. "Or, I can avoid eating the cake all together, and just stick to the fruit bowl that is sitting in front of me."

"Uh, uh, uh. You know the rule." Lorelai countered, shaking her head adamantly. "It's a Lorelai Gilmore tradition to eat dessert on everyone's birthday."

"Last time I checked, my name is Luke Danes, so that rule only applies to you and your daughter."

"Well," She drew the word out, bringing her left hand up dramatically in front of his face. "This ring sitting on my finger says that you're going to become Mr. Lorelai Gilmore not-so-far into the future, and what's mine is yours, so you have to do it."

Taking a deep breath, he caught sight of Richard's smirk and shook his head. He wasn't even going to try because knew he wasn't going to win. "Fine, one piece, and it has to be small."

"Thank you."

"Now that you've gotten your way," Emily interjected, "Shall we sing, or are we just going to let the candles melt all the way down into your cake?"

"Sing away," Lorelai waved dramatically with a smile.

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Lorelai, happy birthday to you."

As the last notes rang out, Rory held her final "you" out longer and louder, sending her mother a bright smile. "Happy Birthday again, Mommy!" She added.

"Thank you, hon. Thank you, everyone." Shooting her eyes all around the table, she continued. "I think we can all agree that there is nothing better to sing about than the day of my birth."

Ignoring her comment, Emily waved the maid over once again. "You can take the cake into the kitchen now, Teresa."

As she lifted the cake from the table, a horrified look on Rory's face was revealed. Gaping widely, she exclaimed, "But Mommy has to blow out the candles!"

"Yeah, mom," Lorelai agreed, "Aren't I supposed to blow them out?"

"Oh, Teresa can do that."

"We always blow out candles, Grandma." Rory explained, looking at her grandma expectantly. "We like to make a wish."

Agreeing with her daughter, Lorelai added, "Exactly. it's tradition for the person whose name is on the cake to do the blowing."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought only children liked to do that." Emily responded haughtily. "Should we bring it back out and relight it?"

Shaking her head, Lorelai rolled her eyes. "No."

Amused by the whole scene, Richard added a teasing, "Well, would you like to make a wish and blow out the tapers?"

Her jaw dropping open, Lorelai looked at Luke in disbelief. "I can't believe this! Why am I being mocked on my birthday?"

Spearing into a piece of watermelon in the bowl in front of him, Luke shrugged. "To get a taste of your own medicine... and it's _not_ your birthday."

"But we're celebrating like it is, so can it or only speak if your being nice to me."

Feeling that Lorelai was about to start another round of banter, Emily immediately rose from her chair. "Let's not start this again... Let's move into the living room for our dessert, shall we?"

Watching as everyone else stood up from the table, Lorelai shrugged and rose herself. "Let's shall."

* * *

The following morning, as the day was in full swing for everyone else, things were just getting started at the crap shack.

"Lorelai!" Luke yelled in frustration from their room.

Giggling from the living room, she sauntered up the stairs wearing a mischievous smile. It was almost time for them to head out for Boston, but before they could, she knew she was going to have to do some negotiating. "Yes, dear? You called?" She drawled teasingly as she entered their room to see him standing over her luggage with crossed arms and a frown.

"We are going for three days. Why the hell do I see two suitcases and a duffle bag?"

"Because I need them." She grinned at the deepening of his frown. "If you want me to look like this," She gestured to herself dramatically, "Each day, I need all my supplies."

"You mean the whole bathroom? There is no way you're bringing all this. Whittle it down into one suit case." Luke countered finally, moving to leave the room.

Catching the bill of his hat, she stole it from him. At his scowl, she backed away towards the dresser. "If I don't get all my luggage, you don't get your hat."

Taking a set towards her, he arched a brow at her, the look sending a shiver through her. "Is that right?"

"Yep."

"You know I have other hats, right?"

"You used to." She informed him with a smirk. "I figured you would say that, so I hid them all earlier this morning in anticipation of this conversation."

Sighing loudly, he walked over to her and looked down at her coolly. Grabbing the hat from behind her back, he slipped it on her head backwards before tilting her chin up to his. "You anticipated getting on my nerves."

"Nope." She answered, shaking her head, her eyes lit with a teasing light. "I anticipated you complaining about my luggage, so I had to come up with a plan."

"You have to fit the stuff in the duffle bag into a book bag, and you have to get rid of one suitcase." At her pout, he kissed her before continuing. "Stick your lip back in. You're lucky I don't take away the book bag too."

Sliding her arms up his to his shoulder, she pulled him a little closer. "If you take away the duffle, you lose all your flannel."

Stepping forward, he pinned her loosely against the dresser. "One suitcase, one duffle. That's my final offer."

Leaning up, she captured his lips with hers, her arms coming to rest around his waist. Pulling back breathless, she leaned her forehead against him and whispered. "Deal."

Before they could dive in for round two, at the sound of little footsteps growing from the hall, they jumped apart, Luke snatching the hat and putting it back on his head.

"Mommy?" The call came loudly from outside the door.

"You can come in, sweets."

Stepping into the room, she was holding what looked like Lorelai's makeup bag. "Did you lose this? It was in my suit case."

"Lorelai!" Luke berated her immediately. "Don't tell me you are sticking your crap in Rory's bag too."

"I'll have you know, everything in that bag is not crap." Stepping over to Rory, she took the bag. "No, hon, I didn't lose it. I just didn't have room in my suitcase. You think you could keep it safe for me in yours?"

"Mhmmm!" Taking the bag back, Rory smiled. "I put it right back where it was." As she ran back out of the room, Lorelai turned to see Luke shaking his head.

"You're shameless."

"Nope, no shame at all. What good are kids if you can't use them to help you?" Skipping out of the room ahead of him, she stopped at the top of the stairs and smiled brightly when he appeared with her bags. "By the way, thanks for agreeing to one suitcase and one duffle bag. That other suitcase was a decoy."

* * *

The entire drive flew by quickly, but as they approached the city, Lorelai noted how Luke grew quiet every time she mentioned the hotel. As soon as they pulled up outside where they were staying, she immediately knew why.

"You booked this hotel?" Lorelai questioned, looking out the window, her voice filled with disbelief.

"It's so big," Rory added, amazement entering her voice as she observed the tall building.

"Um, not exactly." Pulling all of the bags out of the back and on to the sidewalk as Lorelai grabbed Rory, Luke handed the jeep keys to the valet. Turning back he was met with Lorelai holding Rory's hand to keep her close while staring at him with a scowl.

"Care to explain how we ended up at this place, then?"

"Nope. Not right now." At her arched brow, he subtly threw his eyes down to Rory and back up. "We'll talk about this later."

As they made their way up the elevator and to their room, as soon as the door was opened, Rory ran in to observe the abnormally large space. "This is so pretty!" She exclaimed, running over to the large window that overlooked the streets.

"It is a nice view, hon," Lorelai agreed, her fake voice not evident to her daughter but clearly evident to Luke.

Remembering the car ride they had, the juice Rory drank on the way up to Boston caught up with her as she turned back to Lorelai. "Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom. Where is it?"

"If I had to guess, it's right through that door over there," She pointed to the single door to her left.

"Okay! I'll be back!"

"Alright, spill." Spoke up in a harsh whisper as soon as the door closed to the bathroom. Knowing Rory, this conversation would have to be quick and quiet.

Cutting right to the chase, Luke looked at her unwaveringly "Your father booked it."

"My fa- my FATHER booked it?" She exclaimed, her voice still in a loud whisper. "Luke! You let my father pay for this?"

"No, I didnt _let_ him," he countered harshly.

"Well then how the hell did we get here? Did he just cancel your reservation somewhere else without your permission and force you to come here?"

At his lack of answer, she groaned. "You better explain this to me now!"

Taking her hand, he pulled her over to the furthest part of the room from the bathroom and began to talk at a normal volume. "Look, we were in his office last night talking about the trip and he asked where we were staying. I told him, not thinking anything about it. This morning, I got a call that he canceled our reservation and moved us here. Apparently, we're supposed to think of it kind of like an engagement gift."

"I cant believe this..."

"Neither can I but there's nothing we can do. He canceled my other reservation, so we take this or we have to find something else, and with the Yankees in town, it's not likely."

"I know…" Releasing a loud breath, she looked around the place for a second, actually taking it in, then she nodded slowly. "It is really nice in here, and we do have a room separate for Rory and for us... You know, with it being our anniversary weekend and all, that may not be a bad thing, if you know what I mean."

"Knowing you, you could only mean one thing."

Walking a few steps over, she ran her hand across the top of the couch. "I still don't like that _they_ paid for this."

"I know..." At her still depressed look, he spoke a quiet "hey," causing her to look back at him.

"What?"

Stepping towards her, he held his arms out in invitation. As she submitted, he wrapped his arms around her. "You can yell at me and him later, if you want, but don't let this room thing ruin the weekend."

"You won't get mad if I yell really loud or call you mean names?"

Chuckling, he kissed her temple. "Nothing I haven't been called before."

"Are you sure." Pulling back with a grin, she poked his chest. "I've got that fancy private school education. You won't believe the big worded insults I can come up with."

"I think I can handle it." Just then the bathroom door opened. Giving her a soft shove, she looked back at him with a cocked head. "You should go wash up or whatever the hell you do so we can go get dinner. We can discuss this more later but its only so long before you start getting hungry… You probably already are."

"And if I'm not hungry?" She taunted him.

"I'm hungry, mommy," Rory interjected.

"And you wouldn't be Mommy's little girl if you weren't." Lorelai smiled. Planting a kiss to the girl's forehead, she skipped off to the bathroom. "I'll be out in a few sweets, so try not to starve to death too fast."

* * *

 **A/N: Welcome to part one of this two chapter scene! As I started writing this chapter it was soooo long, and I didn't want to make you wait for me to finish it, so I have split it into two. I hope you enjoyed it!**


	44. Chapter 44: Take Me out to the Ball Game

**Chapter 44: Take Me out to the Ball Game**

Spending the early part of the next day exploring the city, the trio returned back to their hotel room to rest before the much-anticipated baseball game. After convincing Rory a quick nap would be necessary because of the long day ahead of them _and_ some prodding from Lorelai, both Luke and Lorelai indulged in the same luxury, leaving them to, unsurprisingly, wake up a whole twenty minutes later than planned.

After rushing around to get ready for the game, Luke and Lorelai stood in their room checking off the last items of their to do list, finally at the point where they were almost ready for the game and would make it on time.

"Babe, you've got to relax." Lorelai said, trying to calm Luke as she grabbed her purse from the floor. "As someone who is naturally running behind for everything, I can assure you that we still have plenty of time to make it to the game as planned...And that's in Luke time, not Lorelai time."

"We better..." Grabbing his hat, he slipped it on his head, and felt around his pockets for his wallet. Finding it, he stood straight. "Okay, I'm ready. Do you have everything?"

"I don't know, but feel free to spout out all the stuff you think I need to have with me and I'll let you know."

"Sunglasses?"

"Check." She held them up with a smile. "These glasses happen to look amazing on me."

"Good to know." He answered, rolling his eyes. "Do you have the disposable camera Rory wanted to bring?"

"Check."

"My baseball glove?"

"I'm not sure why I'm carrying it, but check."

"Sunscreen?"

"Ch... Sunscreen?" Lorelai questioned. Looking up from her bag, she frowned at him. "We need sunscreen?"

"We're going to be outside in the sun for a good part of the game. Did you think the sun wasn't going to affect you?"

"Well, I was just hoping it would be nice to me and Rory since we don't go outside a lot."

"A simple I forgot works too, you know." Grabbing the bottle from his bag, Luke tossed it on the bed beside her. "Go coat yourself and Rory. I don't need either of you so sun burnt that you can't move."

"Yes, dad." She deadpanned. Taking the sunscreen from the bed, she strolled out of the room calling out a loud, "Oh, my dear Rory!"

"I'm brushing my hair, Mommy!" A few moments later, after hearing the brush clatter to the bathroom counter, Lorelai was met with Rory running to her. "All done."

"Good. Now all we need to do is get you all nice and covered with sunscreen and you'll be ready to go."

Scrunching up her nose as Lorelai began to open the bottle, Rory took a hesitant step towards her mother. "Sunscreen is smelly."

"I know, hon, but I don't need you turning as red as a lobster today, so you'll have to deal with the smell for a little while until it wears off."

"Are you gonna wear it too?"

"Sadly, we all have to wear it." Lorelai continued to coat her legs as she questioned. "Are you excited for the game?"

"Mhmmm!" Rory nodded wildly. "I finished my baseball book!"

Smiling at her excitement, Lorelai tried to cover her other leg as she bounced happily in place. "So that means you're a professional now, huh?"

"There were a lot of words that I didn't know what they were."

"I bet someone will be able to help you with that. Someone whose name starts with the letter D."

Rory looked at her with furrowed brows. "Who?"

"Who?" Unable to help it, she looked at Rory curiously. No doubt, she should have figured out who she was referring to by now. "Rory, who else is going to the baseball game with us?"

"It's me, you, and Daddy."

"And what letter does daddy start with?"

"D... but Daddy isn't his name." Rory reasoned. "His name is Luke. It starts with an L."

Shaking her head, Lorelai laughed at her daughter's over-analytical ways. "You know what, you're right... But I bet Luke will help you learn the rules." Quickly, she finished everywhere else on Rory's body that wasn't covered by clothes and moved on to her face. "Close your eyes so I can put it on your face." As Rory contorted and scrunched up her face, Lorelai did the best she could to evenly coat it and hopefully prevent her face from burning. "There, all done. Now it's my turn."

"Do I need to help you?" She watched as Lorelai lathered the lotion on herself

"I'm good sweets, but thank you... Why don't you go grab my purse from my bed and tell Luke that once I'm done with the sunscreen we're good to go."

"Okay!"

Watching her run off to the room, she heard Rory animatedly tell Luke verbatim what she said while throwing in a happy, "This is gonna be so much fun!"

" _Yep", she thought, "the tickets were a great idea."_

* * *

After giving all three of their tickets to the ticket collector at the gate, Rory skipped between Luke and Lorelai, holding a hand of each, and they entered Fenway Park.

On all sides, they were surrounded by crowds of Sox fans sporting their memorabilia, concession stands selling severely overpriced snacks, and booths showing off the latest apparel.

A specific booth catching her eyes, Rory stopped in her tracks and pointed wildly. "Mommy, Daddy, look!"

Stopping with her, they both looked over to see her pointing at a clothing' stand.

"Oooo, shopping," Lorelai spoke happily, earning her an eye roll from Luke.

Grabbing tighter on Luke's hand, Rory began to pull towards it. "Come on! Let's go!"

Giving in, he followed behind the quickly moving child and soon found himself pulled in front of the hats.

"Look, hats!" Rory gestured grandly to the display.

"I've already got a hat kid."

"I don't!" She countered, looking up at him with hopeful eyes. "Can we get one?"

"You want a hat," Lorelai asked as she walked up, having finally caught up to them.

"Yeah! I need one! Baseball fans are supposed to wear hats!" Rory informed them confidently. Pointing to the small white one with the Red Sox logo on it, she inquired, "What about that one?"

Lorelai was about to answer, but Luke beat her to it.

Reaching over Rory, he grabbed the dark red one instead. "White gets dirty. Try this one." Snapping the back of it to make it more her size, he handed it to her

Not hesitating, Rory plopped it on her head, and it was perfect fit. "It fits!"

"It does, but there's something wrong." Both of them looked to see Lorelai smirking. Reaching out, she grabbed the hat and flipped it around backwards. "There, now it's perfect."

Giggling, Rory looked in the small mirror perched next to the display. "I look like Daddy!" Turning around, she looked up at him with a grin. "Do you like it?"

Shaking his head at their antics, Luke grinned. "It's great, Rory."

"Now we can match!" She exclaimed happily. Turning to her mother, she implored with wide eyes. "Can I get it?"

"You, bet, sweets." Lorelai agreed, taking the hat from her head. "I'll go pay for it, and we'll have it back on your head in no time."

Before she could step away, Luke, grabbing her shoulder, stopped her, and held out his other hand expectantly.

"What?"

"Let me take it."

"Are you gonna take my card too?"

"No, but I will take mine."

"No, Babe. I've got it. I got paid the other day."

"I know." He countered in a no-nonsense tone. Reaching out, he curled his fingers around the bill of the hat but didn't pull it away from her. "Look, you bought the tickets, and your father gave me no choice and bought the hotel. At least let me buy this hat and maybe the snacks you ate undoubtedly going to want to eat today."

Lorelai knew the speech. She had given it to Mia many times before when she tried to pay for things. Releasing the hat, she slowly nodded in agreement. "Fine, just the hat and the food."

"Thank you." He pecked her lips quickly. "I'll be back."

* * *

Five minutes later, Luke found them outside the store already looking at the concession stand board. "Trying to decide which item will take the fewest years off your life?" He grumbled into Lorelai's ear, making her jump.

"Nope. I'm going for the item that will take off the most, since you like to be mean to me." She countered without missing a beat. As she turned to face him, he immediately noticed a teasing look in her eyes. "You know, I hate to break it to you, but unless you are suddenly into wearing hats on your knuckles, I don't think that hat is going to fit you."

"You're hilarious," he deadpanned and handed the hat out to Rory. "Here you go, Rory."

"Yay! My first real baseball hat!" She exclaimed, plopping it on her head where it came down a little too low. "What do you think, Daddy?"

Reaching down, he nudged it up from in front of her eyes. "Looks great, princess. Like a real baseball fan."

He could tell his complement excited her by the way she bounced up on her toes and her eyes widened. With her eyes darting between the two of them, Rory question with a happy, "Really?"

"You bet. You look just like the pros."

* * *

Having decided what they wanted from the concession stand, from their first of many visits, as Lorelai put it, they made their way to their seats. As they descended the steps of the stadium further and further, they got closer and closer to the field. When they finally reached their seats, Lorelai took the one furthest to the inside, putting Rory in the seat between her and Luke.

While she and Rory settled in their seats with their snacks, Luke still remained standing. Watching him stand unmoving, Lorelai frowned. "Everything okay, hon?"

"Where did you get these tickets from again," Luke questioned, his eyes wide as he looked at the stadium. Just to the right of the first baseman, they sat a few rows up in an area that gave Luke a better view of the field than he'd gotten in his entire life.

"Ummm, one of Mia's friends. Why? Are they okay?" She eyed him curiously.

"Okay? They're great," He answered distractedly, not taking his eyes from the field. "These are the best seats I've had in my life."

"Oh, good," she grinned widely. She couldn't help but notice how ever since they got there, he had a childlike excitement about him, and was glad she could give it to him.

"Daddy, who's that?" Rory spoke up, forcing him to tear his eyes away from the field where the players were warming up and look at where she referenced. Following her finger, he noted that she was pointing at the man standing in the bullpen throwing a ball back and forth.

"That's looks like Roger Clemens... He's the pitcher." He answered, watching as the man tossed a few practice pitches.

"What's a pitcher again?" She inquired further, genuinely interested in the action in front of her.

"The pitcher is the guy who throws the ball, and he tries to make the guys holding the bat miss." He explained easily.

"That's what you did, right?" She smiled, proud of herself for remembering.

"It is..." Watching her eyes trail the field, Luke noted how her brows began to furrow as she watched the ball being tossed and hit back and forth. "Do you want me to teach you the rules you don't know, Rory?"

Looking back at him with suddenly slightly pouty lips, she questioned, "Can you? My book had a lot of words I didn't know."

"Of course, kid."

Reaching out for his hand, Rory pulled on it excitedly to get him to sit down. As soon as his back hit the seat, her arms were wrapped around one of his, bringing him closer. "This is so exciting!" She admitted, grinning widely.

Neither himself nor Lorelai could keep a smile from their faces at seeing her excitement. "Alright." Luke clapped his hands together and took his gaze back to the field. "So, let's start with the field. What did your book teach you about the bases?"

"On the field there's first, second, third, and fourth, but fourth is called home." She recited proudly, pointing to each base. "And if a guy touches the home plate, his team gets a point."

Lorelai looked at Luke for confirmation and he nodded. "Well, would you look at that, hon, you already know more than I do."

"You didn't read the book, Mommy." Rory answered knowingly.

"Well, I don't think your beloved Daddy here did either." Lorelai pointed out, crossing her arms in front of her and awaiting Luke's counter argument

Rolling his eyes, he answered her with a lofty tone. "But I've actually played the game before."

"Excuse me, I went to the batting cages, so that classifies as "played""

"Yeah, the slow pitch cages."

"I still swung at the baseball, therefore I have played."

"If you say so." Turning back to Rory, he noted how she looked at the both of them with annoyed face. "You okay kid?"

"Are you guys gonna flirt all night or are you gonna teach me."

Luke's eyebrows shot up as Lorelai laughed.

Smiling, she questioned her. "We're flirting? Hon, who taught you that word?"

"Sookie did. She says that's what you and Daddy do all the time when you argue. She said if you're not mad, then you're flirting, and you're not mad..." Rory thought on it for a second before questioning them further. "Are you?"

"No, sweets, we're not."

"So you're flirting?"

"Yes we are..." Lorelai had trouble keeping in a laugh at Luke's clearly embarrassed face. Figuring he had enough, she gestured back at the field in front of them. "You know what, that's enough about me and Luke. I'll let you get back to talking baseball."

"Okay, Thank you." Rory smiled politely and turned back to Luke who was still shaking his head at the previous topic. "So, what's a strike and what's a ball, Daddy?"

* * *

Halfway through the fifth inning, the Sox were up 4-1. Rory, who had switched seats with Luke to see better, was just as focused as she was at the beginning. After finally figuring out what the strike zone was, she was having fun calling out what she thought the pitch was, even though they didn't have a straight view of home plate. Luke, clearly enjoying the game also, was loving this one even more than others because he had someone to teach it to. Each pitch, he would explain whether Rory's call was correct. With any questions she had, he would make sure to thoroughly explain, even if that meant tearing his own eyes from the game and missing something. Lorelai, surprisingly had gathered a little bit of knowledge of what was going on and was enjoying herself too. She knew the Sox were winning since Luke, and the rest of the crowd around her, was still in a good mood. But one thing kept catching her eye more than anything in the game.

Seeing the concessions guy reappear at the top of the stairs with a full load of cotton candy she quickly patted Luke's shoulder. "Look, Luke, he's back!" She yelled as she pointed at the vendor. "He's got more cotton candy!"

Having heard her complain about it earlier, Luke noted the color of the candy wasn't to her liking and opened his mouth to respond.

Cutting him off before he could even start, she grumbled quietly. "Never mind, dammit. He doesn't have any of the pink kind. Only the blue."

"I'm pretty sure they taste the same." He reasoned, reaching for his wallet

As both Rory and Lorelai turned at lightning speed to look at him, Lorelai gasped as though he had committed the ultimate sin. "Woah, woah, woah, buddy, that's where you're wrong. Everyone knows that the pink kind is sweeter than the blue and tastes better."

"Everyone but me, apparently." He murmured under his breath as she continued to ramble

"I am always able to eat blue if it is my last option, but knowing that there is pink cotton candy somewhere in the vicinity of our seats, I refuse to succumb to that man's terrible choice in merchandise."

Grabbing her bag, Lorelai began to dig in to find her wallet. Pulling it out of the bag's depths, she turned to him with a grin. "Im going on a hunt."

Reaching quickly, he captured her wrist before she could step away. "Let me. I already know how to navigate this place and I don't want you getting lost."

"You know, I'm perfectly capable of following signs."

"And you know I already said I was getting snacks." Taking her wallet, he dropped it back in her bag and stood up. "I'll be back."

"Ooo! I wanna go!" Rory interrupted.

"Alright, I guess." Lorelai conceded. "Stay with Daddy, Rory. Don't wander off."

As she watched the two of them reach the top of the steps and disappear, she turned her attention back to the game... or more towards the players. She was so engrossed in finding the most attractive guy that she almost missed the uninvited one who appeared at her side a minute or so later.

Eyeing the guy warily as he hovered, she spoke a slow. "Uh, hi. Can I help you?"

"You know, a woman like yourself should never be at a game like this alone." The guy answered, avoiding her question. "You don't have a glove. What are you going to do if a foul ball flies this way? It'd be a shame if someone as stunning as you got hurt because you weren't prepared."

Despite knowing she could have easily sent him away, Lorelai decided to have some fun. Playing along, she shrugged exaggeratedly and flipped her hair smoothly over her shoulder. "I don't know. I know I'm not coordinated enough to do it, but I was just hoping someone around me would stop it."

"Nah, I wouldn't trust the people around here. But I'm sure I could help you." Reaching out, the man held an unopened beer to her. "Here, take this. I'm Joe, by the way."

"Ah, yes, a beer… Joe, you sure know the way to a woman's heart." She spoke sarcastically, watching him as he took liberty and sat down where Luke had been sitting

"What can I say," Joe shrugged cockily, taking a sip of his own beer. "Everyone has a talent, mine just happens to be winning the attention of beautiful women with the smallest of gifts."

" _SMALL gifts? Yeah, I imagine so… Ooh, dirty."_ She couldn't help but smile at her own thoughts. She hoped Joe wouldn't think her grin was for him. _"But that's probably too much to ask of him," She thought._ "First I'm stunning and now I'm beautiful? You're just whipping out all the complements tonight."

"For you, yes." Taking another sip of his beer, he didn't even try to hide how eyed her up and down before questioning, "So, have you been to a Sox game before, or is this your first time? You don't peg me as a baseball girl."

"Oh I've been to a lot of games. You wouldn't believe the amount of baseball games I've been to." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Luke coming down the stairs with Rory in tow, a frown forming as he got closer. "You know, Joe, was it? As much as I love your friendly conversation, you should know that that seat you are in and the one next to you were open for a reason."

"They're open just for me." He answered smoothly.

"Actually, they are for us," Luke spoke in a deep voice, looking down at the guy who suddenly straightened up. "And that one in particular is for me."

Taking in Luke and Rory, Joe's eyes immediately widened. "Sorry, man, I didn't mean to intrude." He spoke quickly

Jilting his chin towards Lorelai, Luke smirked and answered. "No problem, but next time you should probably check her finger first."

The guy looked to Lorelai to see her holding up her ring dawned left hand.

"Well, congratulations to you." He stood up. "I think I'm gonna get back to my seat now."

"Bye bye, Joe." Lorelai exclaimed with a laugh.

As soon as Joe slid by and escaped up the stairs, both Luke and Rory took their seats, Rory handing Lorelai her snacks. "Here's your cotton candy, Mommy. I got the pinkest bags I could find."

"Thank you, my sweets. I think you picked a good one. Here, you go ahead and take half."

"Okay!" After taking her large portion of the sugary treat, Rory immediately took her eyes back to the game as though she hadn't stopped watching at all.

"So, Joe, huh?" Luke spoke low in Lorelai's ear as she took a bite of cotton candy. "Should I be worried?"

Shaking her head and swallowing, she grinned widely. "As desirable as the cheesy flirting he had going on was, I think I'm pretty happy with what I've got. I'm a fighter, not a lover."

"I don't know. I think you're pretty good at both," he teased, earning himself a shove and a playful "Luke!" from her.

Putting his arm around her, he pulled her closer. "I can't take you anywhere, can I?"

"What can I say? I'm irresistible to most of the male species." Holding her hand out in front of her, she wiggled her fingers. "It's a good thing that I have this beauty to keep suitors away. Looks like you made a good choice."

Kissing her cheek, he agreed. "Like hell I did."

Grabbing the still unopened beer from the cup holder, she held it out to him. "So, free beer? It's an anniversary gift from Joe."

Rolling his eyes, he took it from her and quickly popped it open. "That was very nice of him. We'll have to send him a thank you card."

"I'm sure he'd love to hear from you again. Apparently he's a big baseball fan." Taking a wad of cotton candy, she stuffed it in her mouth and hummed in contentment. "Maybe you could bond." At his chuckle, she leaned further into his shoulder ready to take on the remainder of the game.

* * *

Much to Luke and Rory's dismay, somehow the Yankees caught up. With the score tied 4-4 at the beginning of the bottom of the ninth, the entire crowd was on its feet. Rory, now perched on Luke's shoulders because she was too small to see over the rest of the crowd, yelled as the Yankee closer threw his first pitch of the inning. "Yankees Suck!"

"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed with a laugh, looking up at her daughter.

"Everybody else is saying it, Mommy!" She defended herself.

Looking back down at Luke, Lorelai found him smirking. "What? Where's your normal embarrassed look, Mr. She's-too-young-to-say-things-like-that?"

"Well, they do suck," He chuckled, squeezing Rory's ankle that was down on his chest. "She's right this time."

Shaking her head, Lorelai rolled her eyes and joined in on the fun. Gaining Rory's attention, she gestured towards the field. "Let's say it again, kid. You too, Luke." With both of them ready, she counted down. "3,2,1…"

"Yankees suck!" They all three yelled.

As soon as the words left their mouths, there was a crack and the small white ball was sent to the stands out in left field, causing a loud roar to erupt from the entire stadium.

"We won! We won! We won!" Rory chanted loudly as Luke brought her down. "He hit a home run, Daddy!" As soon as she found her feet on the ground, looked up at them both and continued "Daddy, Mommy, we won!"

"I saw, hon! It's very exciting." Lorelai smiled, watching as Rory bounced with excitement

"Are you happy we won, Daddy?"

"I am, Rory. Are you?" Obviously, he knew the answer but asked anyway.

"Yeah!" She exclaimed, pumping her fist with excitement. "Can we come to another game? This is awesome!"

"You want to come to another game?" Lorelai asked.

"Mhmmm! This was fun! And the food was really yummy!"

"Ohh, yeah. The food was great!"

Rolling his eyes, though still smiling, Luke shook his head. "Even with all the excitement, all the two if you can think about is the food...But, yes, Rory, we'll come to another game someday."

At her squeal of excitement, both Luke and Lorelai laughed. Picking up their trash from the cup holders, Luke waved them along. "Now, come on you two. We need to hurry up to get to the car and beat the traffic or we'll be here all night."

* * *

Sitting on the couch in the main area of their suite later that night, Luke looked at newspaper, more specifically the sports section. Hearing the door to Rory's side shut, he looked up to see Lorelai shimmying over to him. Dropping the paper down beside him, he sat up straighter and she settled on his lap with a peck to his lips. "And then there were two." She murmured softly.

"She went out quick."

"She was worn out. She had a long day." At his nod, she slung her arms around his neck. "So, was today a good idea? Did you have a good time?"

Looking back at her, he wore a small smile. "I had a great time."

"Good. I'm glad."

The room fell into silence, his hand moving to run slowly across his lower back. Suddenly, feeling him tugging, she shifted to straddle his legs. As she resettled, he grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

Looking back up, Lorelai found Luke looking at her intensely. "You know, you didn't have to choose today's game, though. We could have gone to another game that's _not_ on our anniversary."

"I know, but Mia's friend said these were the best tickets, and I wanted to get them for you."

"But I'm sure you would have rather spent the day doing something else..." At her downcast eyes, he squeezed her hand. "We'll do something we both like when we get back to town."

Shaking her head, she waved him off. "No. I don't want to do that. I actually had fun..." At his arched brow, she smiled and continued. "Coming in, I didn't think that watching a game I knew nothing about was going to be the most amazing thing ever, but I liked it more than I thought."

Accepting her answer, Luke nodded over to Rory's room. "You know, she was a lot more interested in it than I thought I would be."

"It's Rory. What did you expect?" Lorelai shrugged. "Our little Einstein would never pass up a chance at learning something new...Especially if it means spending time with you."

"It was fun. I liked teaching her."

His simple admission made her smile. "And I love that you like teaching her..." Leaning in closer, she kissed him softly. Pulling back, she stroked his cheek. "You're really good to her... and even better to me."

"You make it easy."

Dragging a finger down the front of his shirt, she smiled. "You do realize that one year ago at almost this exact time we started the ice cream war that led to this spectacular relationship of ours beginning."

"You mean _you_ started the ice cream war."

Waving a careless hand, Lorelai shrugged. "We, you, same thing." At Luke's smirk, she slid off of his lap and walked over to her purse. Pulling out CDs, she put one in the player over by the TV.

Seeing the look of realization forming on his face, Lorelai came back over and grabbed his hand and pulled him up easily. Still holding on, she moved Luke with her over towards the player and pressed play. Quietly, music filled the room as he began to lead her around slowly.

"You planned this." He whispered, not accusing but merely acknowledging.

"I did. I saw the CD player this morning and swiped the CDs from the jeep tonight. I thought it would be nice." At his small nod of acceptance, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's been a whole year."

"One year to the day."

Pulling back, she questioned him earnestly. "You still want me?"

He didn't even need a second to hesitate. "More than anything."

Her eyes crinkled at the corners and a bashful grin played on her face at his words. Leaning in, she kissed him sweetly for his answer.

Pulling back, he rested his forehead on hers. "You still want me?"

"More than coffee and pie."

Chuckling, his arms tightened around her. "Wow, you must really love me."

"I do..." Sliding her head down to against his shoulder, she kissed his neck and began moving a little slower. "Happy Anniversary, Luke."

Taking advantage of the space, he led her slowly around the living room as he answered her quietly. "Happy Anniversary, Lorelai."

Before they knew it, the songs switched, but they kept moving. Still refusing to stop, the second song ended as they danced and third track began.

Not wanting to break their connection, Lorelai tilted only her head up closer to his ear and spoke in a whisper. "You ready to go to bed?"

Shaking his head, Luke kissed her temple. "Not yet. I want another dance with my fiancée."

Holding up her hand, she flashed him her ring and a smile. "Hey, that's me."

"Only you, beautiful girl." He smiled back, kissing her softly. What started off as innocent pecks quickly evolved into long, deep kisses. His hands found their way under the hem of her t-shirt, languorously stroking her smooth skin and further kindling his and her desire.

Slipping his lips from hers, Luke moved across her jawline. "We can't here," He spoke in a barely audible, husky voice, though it took all he had him. "Rory could..."

"I know." She murmured.

Despite their words, neither would break to change their location. Lips, tongues, teeth collided in a familiar way as Luke backed her up against the wall near the doorway of their room.

"Mmmm, okay... we've got to move," Lorelai whispered. Still leaning into his neck and moving sinuously against him, she ran her hands across his shoulders and down his arms. "I really, really don't want to, though."

"Come on," He answered quietly. Reaching down and lacing fingers through hers, he pulled her along to room for the night.

* * *

As their labored breathing finally calmed sometime later, Lorelai turned on her side as Luke curled up behind her. Falling asleep, not one part of their body that could touch wasn't.

An hour or so later, Lorelai was woken by her growling stomach. Feeling Luke still breathing evenly behind her, she slipped out from under the covers and grabbed his t-shirt for cover and tiptoed out of the room.

Walking out into the living space of the suite, she found herself going over to well stocked fridge to grab a severely overpriced chocolate bar. Her plan was to go immediately back to their room, but the bright lights and beautiful night view of Boston caught her eye. Tearing open the package, she plopped a morsel in her mouth and walked over to the window and stood in front of it, staring out into the city. With all the running around they had been doing, she hadn't had time to process the events of the past few days, but the silence and the scene in front of her allowed her mind to run while she stared in a trance at the city below.

Sometime later, though how much later she wasn't sure, Lorelai slipped back into their bedroom and back under the covers quietly. Leaning back up against the headboard, she proceeded to finish the chocolate bar she had somehow forgotten was in her hand.

As she removed the last piece from the plastic, she was interrupted by Luke's hand stroking her knee. Taking her eyes down, she was met with him smiling up at her tiredly. "Hungry again?"

"Always." She smiled back, dropping the last piece in her mouth. "You can go back to sleep."

Shaking his head, he propped up on an elbow. "You were gone a while. Everything okay?"

"I was looking outside. It's weird to see so much going on at this hour. Stars Hollow is pretty much dead after 9:30."

Though she was telling the truth, Luke knew she wasn't telling the whole truth. After all, he was her fiancé for a reason. Knowing this time of night was when she could think the clearest, he stated "You were thinking weren't you."

Sticking the wrapper on the night stand, she flipped on her side to face him. "I was."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Well, as much as you know I _love_ talking, that may take all night."

"The highlights?"

"Mom and Dad, Rory, Us… You know, the usual."

Chuckling, he shook his head. "Okay, I need a little more information than that."

Looking over him, she caught sight of the curtain covered window behind him. "The view outside is so pretty, and I was enjoying it, but then I remembered that my parents were responsible for it." Sighing, she looked back at him with a sad smile. "I really wish they would've consulted us before changing your reservation. I know they like to think of their intervention as a gift, but I just see it as the same old Richard and Emily Gilmore meddling in my life where I don't want them to."

"At least it was an upgrade."

"True, but we didn't need one. I was just as happy with the other place as I am this." Reaching out, she ran a hand across his cheek. "I'm sorry you got Gilmored… But I got Gilmored at dinner too, so we both get to suffer…And there's no one else I would rather suffer with." She smiled, nudging his shin with her foot.

"Yes, what an honor," Luke answered, rolling his eyes as he placed a kiss to her palm. "And what about us? Second thoughts on anything?"

"Not at all…" She shook her head. "I was just thinking about how great today was not only for me and you but for Rory too…And then the reality of the past year hit me. In one year I went from Lorelai Gilmore, a single mother with the best daughter, to future Mrs. Danes, a fiancée to a great man and best pseudo-father my daughter could ask for."

The hand that stroking up and down her waist froze as he looked at her curiously. "You're changing your name?"

Arching a brow, her eyes searched his face. "I think so... If that's alright with you. Are you surprised?"

"A little." Running a hand across the back of his neck, he continued. "I figured that since you have Rory, you wouldn't change it so she would still be connected to you."

"Well, I'd like to be Lorelai Victoria Gilmore-Danes...I want to make sure I'm easily identified as Rory's mom, but I want people to know I'm married to you too."

"You know that's four names, right?"

"Yes, and you have three, so that's only one more than you." At his still confused look she shrugged. "A crazy name for a crazy lady."

Shaking his head, Luke couldn't help but chuckle. Tightening his hand on her waist, he pulled her closer and used his other hand to tilt her head up for a kiss.

Before his lips met hers, she grinned and whispered. "I guess you like my idea, then?"

With an almost imperceptible nod, he planted a long, drawn out kiss on her lips. Leaning forward, she forced him on his back. Breaking apart when she had no more air, she hovered above him and slid her hands down his chest. "Mmm...I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, what do you think? I think this chapter was very cute and very fluffy... But don't get too settled in. I thought I would warn you that troubled waters are coming in the near future. Any predictions?**

 **I know this is totally off topic and not Gilmore related, but over the past week, I had the pleasure of finding out that a "summer cold" is in fact a real thing. Hopefully none of y'all reading this have had the same thing, because it really sucks, and if you have I am sorry...**

 **Depending on where you are from, I hope all of you have a good weekend/rest of the weekend!**

 **XOXO S**


	45. Chapter 45: Damn the Oven and the Trash

**CHAPTER 45: Damn the Oven and the Trash**

"Is Bono the only tape you brought?" Luke groaned as the tape turned over for the second time that weekend trip. "I might go insane if I hear his songs one more time."

As he expected, Lorelai gasped dramatically. "Are you saying you're tired of Bono?" Turning to Rory, she placed a hand over her heart. "Sweets, I can't believe what I am hearing. Luke doesn't like Bono."

Luke rolled his eyes. "I never said I didn't like him but hearing the same ten songs over and over this whole trip makes me want to jump off a bridge."

"It's his new album! We have to break it in. Everyone knows you have to play new albums over and over on repeat until you get tired of them. That's when it's finally broken in."

"Yeah, well, I'm already tired of it."

"And I'm already not." At his side eye, she laughed. "Fine, Rory and I will finish breaking it in later this week. Do you have any requests for a replacement?"

"Anything but this."

"Seriously?" At his nod, it was her turn to roll her eyes and she turned to the back seat. "Rory, since your Daddy up here doesn't want to cooperate and give a suggestion, would you like to choose?"

"Pick the Bangles!" She exclaimed, a wide smile coming to play on her face

"Oooo, yes!" Lorelai agreed as Luke groaned. Turning to him with an arched brow, she eyed him up and down. "Do you have a problem with the Bangles, babe?"

"I dont have a problem with the Bangles. I have a problem with _you_ and the Bangles." He emphasized and pointed at her. "You play it so loud the whole state can hear it." He grumbled.

"Well, you should have thought about that before you didn't give me a suggestion." Grabbing it from the floor board, she dug through her purse for the tape. "Aha!" Sticking it halfway in the tape player, she turned back to Rory with a wide grin. "Alright, hon, count us in..."

"1,2,3,4!" Rory yelled as the music blasted loudly through the speakers, and both girls immediately began to sing

Cringing at the sound, Luke shook his head. "This is going to be a long ride," He mumbled quietly.

As he suspected, Lorelai and Rory's loud singing lasted the whole tape. The final song ended as they approached Hartford, about 45 minutes out from the house.

Quickly, he turned the volume nob all the way down before they could start the tape over, causing both girls to release a loud and dramatic, "Hey!"

Frowning at him, Lorelai complained, "We weren't done."

Running a hand across his forehead, he tried to ignore the pain of the headache that, for the last hour, was still going strong. "You two have been talking and singing and dancing and heaven knows what else the whole ride back. Can I _please_ just have a few minutes of quiet until we get home."

"You do realize who you're talking to, right?"

"Yes, I do. I'm talking to Loudmouth and Loudmouth Junior." He deadpanned.

Not offended, she answered him wearing a sassy grin. "Actually, I would be Loudmouth Jr. and Rory would be Loudmouth the third. My grandmother would be Loudmouth the first."

"Lorelai..."

Laughing softly, she reached over the center console and squeezed his thigh. "Fine. I can tell by the bulging vein on your forehead that you've had enough." Turning back, she looked at Rory with a smile. "Is that voice of yours sore yet, sweets?"

"A little." She answered her, clearing her throat for emphasis. "Are we gonna be quiet for Daddy now? I can rest my voice."

"I think we should, but it might be a little hard. We are master-talkers, after all. Do you think we can do it?"

Tapped her chin before nodding, Rory shrugged. "We can try."

"Alright, let's do that." Turning back to Luke, Lorelai patted his knee. "You hear that, babe? We're gonna try to be quiet just for you."

"Who knew that after all this time, all I had to do was ask." He smirked, reaching down for her hand. "Thank you."

Much to his surprise, the silence actually lasted for five minutes, but around that time he felt Lorelai begin to move under his hand. Quickly, he took his gaze over to her and then the back to the road. Even a quick glance showed him her spastic movements and mischievous grin. "You're singing their songs in your head, aren't you?"

Acting out the motion of zipping her mouth shut, she pretended to throw away the key but kept dancing.

Shaking his head, Luke chuckled "As long as it's in your head and not coming from the speakers."

* * *

In a move that did surprise him, both Lorelai and Rory ended up falling asleep. The silence that he had been asking for was only slightly interrupted by Lorelai's soft snores. Before long, Lorelai stirred as he began driving the winding roads of Stars Hollow

Squeezing his hand that was still holding hers when she finally came to, she spoke hoarsely. "How's the silence?"

"Strange." He answered with a grin.

"I can make it loud again if you want." She spoke a little clearer as she gained back her voice. Shifting sides, she moved from leaning on the door to leaning her head on his shoulder. "I've got a lot more tapes where that came from."

"I think you can save those for another day."

"I dont know... You look like you would be a huge fan of Bowie." Lorelai smiled as she began to hum the tune of one of his songs.

"Lorelai," Luke chuckled, trying to ignore her.

"Ooo, or maybe another song of Bono's." Getting a little louder, she began humming a different song.

"Hey, Lorelai?"

Amidst her hums, the different sound to his voice didn't register. Feeling the Jeep stop, she didn't think anything of it and continued to tease him. "No, definitely Queen." She laughed and changed songs again, but not humming loud enough to disturb Rory who was still asleep in the back seat.

"Lorelai," He spoke a lot sterner.

Something in his voice finally registered with her. When she looked at where he was looking, she figured out that that something was shock. Her jaw dropping, a quiet "Chris..." escaped her lips.

"Did you know he was coming," He asked carefully, not taking his eyes off the porch couch where the man in question was sitting.

"Do you really think that I wouldn't tell you if I did?" She countered him harshly. At the quick shake of his head, she continued. "I wish he would call before he just shows up so we could be prepared for these things... so _Rory_ could be prepared for these things."

"So, what do we do?"

Thinking on it for a second, Lorelai bit her lip and released a sigh. "Okay... We can leave the bags in the car since there isn't anything in them that will ruin. You grab Rory, and if she's stays asleep, take her inside and lay her down. I'll talk to Chris."

"And if Rory wakes up?"

Looking over up him, she shrugged. "I don't know how she'll react to seeing Chris, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens..." Casting her eyes to the back seat, she looked at her sleeping daughter before questioning, "Are you ready? He always seems to cause trouble when he comes back, and I have a feeling this time wont be any different."

"I guess I'm as ready as I can be," he grumbled, eying the man who was now obviously staring at them. Reaching for the door handle, he got out of the Jeep and immediately went to the back seat, not giving Chris the time of day. Meanwhile, Lorelai slid out of her side and walked up to the porch.

"Hey, Lor. Long time no see," Chris spoke oddly cheerfully as he rose from his spot to greet her.

"Hey Chris," She gave into his hug awkwardly while making sure hands stayed in appropriate places.

"Are you coming in from out of town?"

"Uh, yeah, we were up in Boston for the weekend."

"Boston? No way! That's where I've been. You should have called, and we could have met up!" As Chris ended his sentence, Luke appeared at the bottom of the porch. Lorelai could practically feel his eyes rolling at his comment as he walked up.

"Well, I'd have to have a number to reach you with and the last one was disconnected... and the forward number for that number was also disconnected." She answered, her arms crossing in front of her chest.

Running a hand across the back of his neck, he shrugged. "Yeah, sorry about that…Hey, Rory!" He called as Luke reached the top of the steps.

"She's asleep," He answered curtly, showing Rory's asleep face to them before going inside.

As soon as Luke closed the door, Chris smirked. "Well, he's just a ray of sunshine. Quite the guy you've got there."

Ignoring him, she leaned back against the rail and crossed her arms. "What are you doing here, Chris."

"I came to see my daughter. You remember she is _my_ daughter, right?"

Rolling her eyes, she waved a careless hand. "Don't patronize me. You and I both know I have the right to be suspicious."

"Suspicious of what? I made time for my kid. Isn't that what you want?" He countered her.

"You've not been by in almost a year, and now, all of a sudden, you've made time and you're here to see Rory? Forgive me if I'm not buying it."

"I'm in Hartford for business, and I decided to stop by."

Eyeing him once over deprecatingly, Lorelai stated, "So business brought you here."

"Don't look at me like that. So what, business brought me here, I'm still here, right?"

"If that is the reasoning that floats your boat, then sure. Coming here for business instead of solely for Rory is perfectly fine." She said sarcastically. Out of the corner of her eye, Lorelai could see ruffling of Babette's blinds. Not wanting to give any more info to the neighborhood news than she already had, even though she knew she would regret it, she spoke up anyway. "So, are you here to stand on the porch all day, or did you want to come inside. Rory shouldn't be out for too much longer."

"I get to come inside?" Chris smirked. "You just finished interrogating me and you're throwing invisible darts at me from your eyes, but you're inviting me in?"

"Hey, I may think you're a jackass sometimes," She shrugged, unconsciously wearing a smirk that matched his. "But you're here for _Rory_ , so you might as well stay and visit for a while until she wakes up, right? Unless you're lying and you're really here for another reason." She shrugged.

Not responding, he just gestured to the door

As she led him inside, Lorelai clearly heard noise from the kitchen and knew Luke was obviously stress reorganizing. Judging by the sounds, he was going through the fridge and, more importantly, trying to find something to occupy his time so he didn't have to be around the man who was now oddly close behind her. Uncomfortable with the distance, she took a seat in the lone seat across from couch, forcing distance between them.

"So, business, huh? Did God himself call you back here, because normally you avoid Hartford like the plague."

"My dad would like to think he's God," Chris answered with an eyeroll. "Apparently Dad has an opening that he would like me to fill for the next few weeks. I didn't want to come, but Mom made it known that I had no choice."

"Ah, yes, the power of the Hayden matriarch. Almost as strong as that of Emily Gilmore...And I'm sure that staying at the Hayden compound is going to be a great experience."

Avoiding her eyes, Chris looked down at the floor.

Knowing by his love movement that he was hiding something, she pressed further. "You are staying there, _right_?"

Looking back up at her slowly, Chris leaned forward. "You know, it would be a lot easier to balance work and this place if I could stay close by here instead."

"Chris," She sighed.

"Come on, Lor. You know what it's like in that house. I'm not saying I want to stay for free, but if you could work your Gilmore magic and get me in somewhere I would be forever in your debt."

In reality, she didn't really want him at the inn, but, even more so, she didn't want him hovering around their house. "Fine, I'll work you in a room at the inn, but you don't get to bother me while I'm there."

"Bother you?" He scoffed with a laugh. At her knowing look he raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, I'll keep things strictly business. So, deal?"

"Deal."

As they chatted, neither of them noticed conversation going on in kitchen until Rory walked out, rubbing her eyes and speaking. "But, Daddy, Who's here? I-" She froze at the sight of Chris on the couch. "Dad?"

"Hey, kiddo! Long time no see." Standing up, he stepped towards her with arms open.

Not surprising to Lorelai, Rory didn't speak. She could see the wheels turning in her head. It was clear she wasn't sure how to respond to him. "Hi." She spoke up warily but gave him a cautious hug anyway.

Out of nowhere, the phone began to rang loudly. The interruption, however, was welcomed by Lorelai, as it cut short the slightly awkward conversation. Staring at the phone, Lorelai let it ring and the voicemail played loudly through the house.

" _Hey, Luke. It's Mateo. I'm not sure if you are back in town yet, but I just wanted to let you know as soon as possible that something is wrong with the oven. I'm pretty sure it's the thermostat, but I don't have time to take a look for sure with the rush going on. Anyway, I just wanted to keep you updated."_

Having heard the voicemail from the kitchen, Luke sighed as he walked into the living room. "I swear, I hate that damn oven sometimes." He complained, looking at Lorelai as he grabbed the phone.

"Just the oven, or the damn oven." She smiled at his responding eyeroll.

"The damn oven. I'll be back…"

With Luke out of the room and taking care of the message, Chris continued as though nothing interrupted them. "You're getting big, Rory. How did you get so tall?"

"I don't know." Rory shrugged, looking over at Lorelai for reassurance. Seeing her mother nod, she explained further. "Mommy says it's because I have so much smartness that my body has to grow to fit it, but Daddy says it's because I eat a healthier than mommy."

Chris's tensing at Rory referring to Luke as Daddy didn't go unnoticed by Lorelai and couldn't help but smirk.

"I think your mom's right, because you're growing like a weed." He answered, completely trying to ignore the mention of Luke. "You're in, what, the first grade, now?"

"I'm almost in second grade."

"Man, kid, you're making me feel old." Turning to Lorelai, he eyed her once over. "How about you? Feeling like you belong in a nursing home yet?"

Rolling her eyes, she scoffed. "Uh, not hardly."' Standing up from her seat, she took a step closer to him and narrowed her eyes. "But, you know, you might need to take a closer look at the back of your head, because some gray hairs might be growing in."

"Oh please, you know if anyone is gonna have grays it's you." He laughed and pointed at her. "Huh, is that one I see right there?"

Smacking his shoulder, she shook her head. "Shut up, you liar. You know the Gilmore genes are pretty much gray resistant. Even Dad hasn't started graying yet."

"There's a first time for everything..."

Coming back into the room, Luke sat the phone down and looked immediately at Lorelai, his eyes skipping completely over Chris. "So, I thought we were going to have more time here but I've got to head over to the diner."

"Okay, that's fine." She agreed. "We can have just as much fun there as we can here, right Rory?"

The perkiness that left Rory when she saw Chris reappeared when she heard the word diner. "Mhmmm! Mommy, we can play bagel hockey!"

"Oooo, good idea!" Turning back to Luke, she smiled. "Just say when and we'll be ready."

With everyone seeming to have forgotten the guest in the room Chris cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, I guess I'm going to get going to where I'm staying, then." Taking steps towards the foyer, he stopped just inside before turning back around. "Hey, Lor, is dinner still being served? I haven't eaten yet."

Sighing immediately, she was well aware of what he was doing. On one hand, she didn't really want Chris at the diner, but what would it look like if she sent him away so quick? Shooting Luke a look of warning before speaking, she answered, "No... But we haven't eaten either. Rory and I were gonna eat at the diner when Luke went to check in. But since we're going soon, you can join us there once you drop your stuff off at the inn."

"Sure. Sounds good. I'll go drop my stuff off and meet you there. It's in the middle of the town, right?"

"Yep. It's pretty hard to miss."

"Alright. I'll see you guys there."

As soon as the door closed behind him, silence filled the house. For all of them, it was pretty much the first time ever it was so quiet that you could hear a pen drop.

Unsurprisingly, Luke was first to make a move. Deciding not to voice his displeasure of the man in front of Rory and knowing they might also need a minute mother to daughter, he just turned and walked up the stairs.

Accepting his decision to leave the room, Lorelai turned to see Rory, who was tense again.

"You okay, hon?"

As soon as Luke turned the corner at the top of the stairs, Rory spoke up quietly. "Dad is here."

Sighing, she wore a sad smile. "He is."

"But why?" She questioned earnestly. "I asked him to come a long time ago, but he never called back." She frowned.

Trying her best not to sway her opinion, but also wanting to be honest, Lorelai answered, "I know this is hard for you to understand. Sometimes your dad is hard to reach, so he doesn't always know you called until a long time later."

"But why doesn't he call me? He knows our phone number."

"I'm not sure sweets."

"He doesn't like me." Rory spoke, not as a question, but a plain statement

Swallowing roughly, Lorelai fought to think of the right to say, as Rory's words broke her heart to hear. "Come here, Rory." Squatting down, she waved her over. "I don't know why your dad does what he does, but I promise you, it has nothing to do with you. You did nothing wrong, and it's not because he doesn't like you. Let's just give him a chance this time, and we'll see what happens."

Seeing that she still wasn't reassured, she took hands in hers. "I know it makes you sad that he doesn't call. But he's the one who is really missing out. He's missing out on the chance to know a very special little girl." Squeezing her hands, Lorelai added with a small smile, "You _are_ a very special little girl and you're my best friend, Rory."

Smiling brightly immediately, Rory squeezed her back. "You're my best friend too, Mommy."

"That's what I like to hear." Pecking her cheek, she looked at her directly and spoke strongly. "I love you Rory, and don't you ever forget it."

"I love you too."

"Okay… Are you good now? 'Cause if you're not, we can talk more."

"I'm good."

"Alright." Standing up, Lorelai clapped her hands as she reached her full height. "So, since you didn't get much reading other than your baseball book done this weekend, did you want to grab one before we go to the diner."

"Mhmmm! I'll go grab it."

"Alright, I'll be upstairs getting Luke, and I'll meet you back in here. Capisce?"

Nodding, Rory took off in the direction of her room. "Capisce."

Upstairs, Luke was still brooding over Chris's appearance. As Lorelai opened their bedroom door, he was ready to speak, but the frustration drained out of him when she lost her "strong mother" facade and immediately came over to him and hung her head on his shoulder. "She thinks it is her fault."

His hands immediately came up to stroke up and down her back. "Thinks _what_ is her fault?"

"That Chris doesn't come around. That he doesn't call. All of it." As she spoke, the frustration seeped out of her voice. "I mean, Gosh, Luke, Rory just stood down there and remembered that her father never really returned her call or called her on his own, questioned if it was her fault, and said that it was because Chris didn't like her. I feel so damn guilty, and it's not even my fault, but, obviously Chris doesn't feel any guilt about it or he wouldn't be able to live with himself under the weight of it all."

His hands freezing, he leaned back to look at her face. "She thinks that it's her fault?"

"She did. Until I told her it wasn't, but it's not up to me if she believes what I say or not."

He didn't even try to hide his anger. "I hate that guy. If I could beat the living hell out of him I would."

Sighing, she looked at him sadly. "I hate that he's here. We had such a good weekend, and now he is ruining it."

"I won't let him."

"That's my super-protective man." She pecked his cheek, running a hand down his arm and pulling it to her front to lace her fingers through his. "As long as he's honest about seeing Rory, then I think we'll be okay. If it's like the past, he'll be here tonight and be gone by Tuesday. I hate it for Rory, but I think she is starting to get used to it by now."

"She shouldn't have to get used to it."

"No, she shouldn't, but she is. And the sooner that it doesn't weigh on her and make her feel guilty that Chris doesn't come around or comes around and leaves quickly, the better."

"You're right... Whatever makes it easier for her."

"Speaking of easy, this dinner definitely isn't gonna be that." She rolled her eyes. "You saw how awkward it was for her... now imagine how awkward it's gonna be for all of us in public."

"Do you think I can burn his order? Just to make the night a little more fun."

Laughing at him, she smiled but shook her head. "As funny as that would be, we have to play nice. I don't need to give him any more ammo to disappear. That's why I've been so nice to him so far. Right now, he can't blame me if he's not around, but if we're completely awful to him, then he will say that we stop him from coming."

"I know."

"So, at least try to he civil." At his frown, she continued. "Notice I said civil, not nice. I don't expect you to treat him like he's the best thing in the world, but at least try to make the daggers your shooting at him with your eyes a little less obvious."

Not even putting up a fight, he gave a begrudging, "Fine."

"Good boy" Lorelai smiled, putting a lingering kiss his lips. Tugging on his arm, she wrapped it securely around her waist. "Now come on. Let's go get this over with, and if we play nice, maybe we can reward ourselves for our good behavior later."

* * *

After making a quick stop by the hardware store for the part, the trio entered the diner. With Luke quickly confirming their orders while they walked into the room, he disappeared into the kitchen leaving them to find a table. Picking one by the front windows, Rory walked up to the tables edge and froze.

"Everything okay, sweets?"

"Where do I sit?" She questioned, looking at Lorelai curiously

"Where do you _want_ to sit?" She questioned back, wanting her to make the decision herself. Watching her eyes dart back and forth between the two sides of the table, she placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I won't be upset if you don't sit by me, hon. But it's also okay if you don't want to sit by your dad...Whatever makes you comfortable."

Setting her book down on the side where Lorelai had sat her purse, Rory looked at her mother and spoke confidently. "I want to sit by you."

"Then that's where you'll sit."

Not long after settling in, the bells rang announcing Chris's arrival. Sitting down across from them, he immediately picked up a menu

"So, what's good here."

"Well, I'm a fan of everything, but I'm probably a little biased." Lorelai answered, automatically. "Although the salads aren't really my thing."

"I never would have guessed." Chris smirked, perusing the menu. "How's the Reuben?"

"Amazing, but since I already ordered for us, you don't have to worry about it..."

"You ordered for me?"

"Yep. You can't come to Luke's without trying the burger, so I figured you needed to start with that…Speaking of our order." Looking over at the kitchen, she heard some unfamiliar clanking that definitely didn't sound like cooking. "I'll be back."

Walking up to the counter, she called a loud, "Hey, Luke?"

She heard the sound of him slamming something before he came out. "Yeah?" He questioned, irritation seeping out of his voice.

"From your tone, I'm assuming you haven't started our dinner yet." She grinned.

"No. I wanted to, but I was trying to fix the oven first! But for some reason, I can't get the damn thermostat to work."

Her smile quickly turning into a mischievous smirk, she teased him. "The damn thermostat in the damn oven or just the thermostat in the oven?"

"Are you being cute?"

"Sorry, go on." She answered quickly.

"So, it looks like I got the right thermostat, but now I can't figure out how to replace the damn thing."

"So, it is a _damn_ thermostat."

"I don't have time for this." Dropping the rag he wiped his hands with back on the counter, he walked back into kitchen.

"Come on you can do this!" She reassured him as he roared at the machine. "Step at a time here. You pulled the knob off each gas tap on the range, right?"

"Uh, yeah. So?" He yelled back, his voice muffled.

"Then you removed the four screws securing the face panel, then you removed the panel.

"Yeah, I did that."

"Hmm. Then you disconnected the oven and gas supply pipe from the outlet of the thermostat?"

"This is where I got stuck."

Nodding, Lorelai thought on it for a second before prodding. "Did you release the oven sensor retaining clips from the oven lining?"

"No. No, I didn't." The kitchen went quiet for he called loudly, "Okay! Got it!"

"Now just pull the sensor out, you should be rolling now."

Coming out from the kitchen, he threw his arms out in amazement. "So how, how?"

"How what?"

"How do you know this?"

Shrugging, she smiled as she explained. "Well, when we were first dating I couldn't get to sleep at night here because you went to sleep so outrageously early, so I read your oven manual. I probably read the thing 10 times. I have it memorized by now."

"You're kidding."

"Well, it was either that or the broiler manual, and the oven won, 'cause it's shiny and pretty."

Shaking his head, Luke stepped towards her with a grin. "You never cease to amaze me."

"And I never will." Leaning forward, she put her chin onto her palm. "So, does that mean you can cook now?"

"As soon as I reattach everything else, yes."

Batting her eyes flirtatiously, she continued. "So, you're gonna bring me and Rory milkshakes with our meal too because we had to wait so long?"

The grin disappearing from his face, Luke rolled his eyes. "You've barely been waiting 10 minutes."

"True, but it's ten minutes longer than usual. Face it, babe, you owe us."

"Fine." He pointed. "But you're both getting vanilla. Heaven knows you both had plenty of sugar this weekend, and I'm not giving you any M&M's or crap like that to add to it."

Holding out her hand, she forced him to shake "Deal."

After planting a quick kiss to his lips, she left the counter for the table. As she stepped up, she found Chris and Rory both staring out the window. "Wow, I can hardly hear anything because of all the silence over here... have both of you gone mute?"

Turning back to her, Chris shrugged. "I may have insulted her by saying that there are groups better than the Bangles."

Sitting back down in her seat quickly, she gasped dramatically and placed a hand over her heart. "Christopher Hayden, did I not teach you anything in all the years I've known you?"

Shrugging, he answered, "What can I say? I guess my taste in music has gotten better, and your taste is still stuck in high school."

"Excuse me, but Rory and I have exquisite taste in music. Isn't that right, sweets?"

"Mhmm." Rory agreed with a huge nod. "Our music is better than yours, dad."

"That's the truth." Lorelai smiled, holding up her hand to her with a bright smile. "High five, hon."

After their hands collided, Christopher shook his head. "Fine, I'll let you have music, but please tell me you don't watch the same movies. I don't know how you handle watching Casa Blanca more than once a year."

Both of them gasped, and Rory frowned. "Casa Blanca is a good movie!" She protested.

"Man, Lor, you really have brain washed this kid." He shook his head. "How does she feel about Billy Jack."

Smiling, Lorelai leaned back in her seat. "Even she knows you can't see a Billy Jack movie too many times."

"Come on." Chris groaned, rolling his eyes. "You've got to expose her to more of the good stuff!"

"We watch the good stuff. Go look in our cabinets in our den. They're filled with the good stuff... It sounds to me that you've just lost your sense since you stopped hanging out with me."

"Well, maybe we'll have to change that." He answered confidently.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she didn't have time to question his meaning before Luke appeared at the table with drinks for them.

"The burgers are cooking. You didn't say whether you wanted fries or onion rings."

Arching her brow, Lorelai questioned him. "You have to ask."

"You're not getting both."

"Come on, Luke." She smiled. "You know you want to."

Immediately turning on her doe eyes, Rory pled. "Please Daddy?"

The cringe Luke saw from Chris almost made his normal grumpy demeanor crack, but he kept face. "Please, what, Rory?"

"Pretty please, Daddy with vegetables on top!"

Rolling her eyes, Lorelai put her face in her hands. "I still can't believe you've convinced her to say that."

"You have your influence, I have mine." Luke countered her with a smirk.

Not wanting to hear Rory call him "Daddy" again or hear and his influence, Chris interrupted abruptly. "I'll take whatever they have."

Raising his eyebrows at Lorelai, Luke rolled his eyes as he lowered them and walked away.

Trying to hold in a laugh, Lorelai looked down at the floor to gather herself. No doubt was she going to hear about what Luke wanted to say in response once Chris left for the night.

Not catching her almost laugh, Chris started again. "So, Lor, we covered music and movies. Do we need to go over your TV tastes too?"

* * *

The following day, everyone had recovered from Chris's surprise visit. With Chris unable to spend the day with her "because of meetings," Lorelai dropped Rory off at school before heading in to the inn the next morning. Like any other day, she worked a fast-paced morning, but by early afternoon, things calmed down, leaving her to her own devices. Feeling her growling stomach, she knew her lunch break was coming soon, and she knew just where she wanted to go.

"Luke's" The man himself barked into the phone.

"How's the damn oven doing?"

Not batting an eye at her comment, Luke stepped into the kitchen for more privacy. "The damn oven is just fine. Right now I'm trying to fix the damn toaster. It's like this whole place fell apart while I was gone."

"So you're having a pretty rough day, huh?" She answered sympathetically.

"You could say that."

"Well what do you say to your favorite company in within the next hour? Would that make your day better?"

"I guess, but I thought Rory was at school today." He teased.

Hearing her scoff, Luke knew a pout had immediately formed on her face.

"Rude! And to think, I was going to help you stock the storage room today."

"Uh huh. And how were you going to do that?"

Twirling hair around her finger, she leaned forward onto the desk. "Well, I was going to announce to the rest of the diner that you were gonna be restocking, but I was gonna distract you from doing just that, but now, I don't think you deserve my distraction."

"You know, I've been having some issues with the water temperature and the water heater is upstairs in the apartment. You could always distract me up there."

Feigning innocence, she spoke in a deep drawl. "Why Mister Danes, are you implying what I think you are?"

"You can come in for lunch and find out."

"I think I just might."

"So, an hour?"

"Yep, I'll see you in about an hour. Bye babe."

Satisfied with her plans, a bright smile spanned across Lorelai's face as she went back to work. Organizing the mail that had just been delivered, she hummed quietly to herself in anticipation for the next hour to end quickly.

Her happy moment by herself, though, was soon interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Turning around immediately, she frowned at the smirking man standing across from her. "Didn't we have an agreement of no bothering…" Gesturing between them, she continued, "I think we did, and I believe _this_ is considered bothering me."

"So I'm not even allowed to talk to you at all… Wow, harsh." Tapping the stack of mail still on the front part of the desk, Chris nudged it towards her. "No wonder they pay you the big bucks here. I don't know how you deal with such a difficult task like letter sorting,"

"I know. Organizing them A-Z is such a chore." Picking up the envelopes, she flipped through them as she questioned him. "So, aren't you supposed to be in Hartford by now? I thought you weren't going to be around for the afternoon."

"Dad cancelled the early meetings, so I'll go later tonight to work with him." Taking a step forward, he leaned an arm on the desk and pressed. "So, since I'm free, would you happen to be free? Lunch is calling my name, and I'm pretty sure it wants you to come with me."

"Awe, well I hate to disappoint, but I already have lunch plans" She smiled, slipping the remaining letters into their corresponding piles and boxes. "But if you get back in early enough, I'm sure Rory would enjoy having you over for dinner."

"Okay… Sure. I'll let you know." Chris answered, though, from what she heard, the honesty in his comment was definitely lacking.

"Well, I've got to get back to work. Now I have to do the devastatingly hard task of sorting reservation receipts."

After watching Chris retreat up the stairs, Lorelai looked at the stack of receipts in front of her. Not wanting to wait for him to come back down and try to guilt her into joining him again, she felt the sudden desire to take her lunch break a little early. Getting approval from Mia, she found herself bounding contently to the jeep to go see her man at the diner.

As the bells above the door announced her entrance, she was immediately met with Luke looking at her curiously from Gossip Central's table. "That was a quick hour."

"That's because it was 10 minutes." Walking up to him, she smiled as her arm came to rest around his waist. Placing a short peck on his lips, she turned to the two ladies in front of her. "Hello, ladies. Any breaking news I haven't heard today?"

Taking a sip from the cup Luke had just sat down in front of her, Patty shook her head. "Not that you don't already know, dear, but rumor has it that you had a visitor when you two arrived back home last night."

"Rumor has it or Babette saw it." Lorelai smirked. At the women's sly smiles, she nodded. "That's what I thought… Well, to keep the rumor mill in check, I can tell you that Christopher is in town, but I don't know for how long."

"And Rory is taking everything alright?" Babette asked. At Lorelai's nod, she continued. "That's one hell of a kid you've got there. So mature and so smart for her age."

"Don't I know it." Squeezing Luke closer to her, Lorelai had to hide a smile at his clear discomfort of their contact in front of the women. "So, ladies, I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna steal Luke from you for a bit."

"I hope it's longer than a bit. Heaven knows he'll want more time than that," Patty laughed, nudging Babette in the side.

At Luke's groan, all three ladies laughed. Shaking her head at them, Lorelai pointed teasingly, "Always going into the gutter, Patty. I'm just here to keep him company while he fixes the water heater, nothing more."

"Uh huh, and I'm the Queen of England."

Extending out her hand, she grabbed Patty's to shake it and smiled. "It's nice to meet you Queen Elizabeth. Now if you'll excuse us, we have important matters to attend to." Taking Luke's hand, she pulled him towards the stairs.

Around thirty minutes later, Patty and Babette still sat at their table, slowly but surely enjoying their food. As they watched the happenings outside the window, they were surprised to see a young figure walk by and make his way into the diner.

Standing in the middle of the room, they watched as his eyes roamed, clearly looking for someone, and they knew without a doubt that that someone was Lorelai.

Playing innocent, Patty waved him over. "You're obviously not from around here, dear. Are you looking for someone?" She questioned coquettishly, eyeing him up and down.

"I was supposed to be meeting someone here, Lorelai," Chris admitted, obviously not knowing who he was dealing with. "I cancelled a meeting earlier and she said that she was coming here for lunch, so I thought I'd surprise her here."

"Well, she was here earlier," Babette informed him. "She and Luke went upstairs about half an hour ago and they haven't come down since. I heard they were doing somethin' with water heater, but it's been a while." Seeing the realization of what was really happening upstairs appear in his eyes, she smirked. "I'm sure they'll be down soon, though. She usually sits at the counter for lunch if you want to wait for her there."

As soon as she finished her sentence, the curtain in front of the stairs flipped open, and Lorelai walked out with a wide smile. Tugging at a shirt that looked conveniently different than the one she had on early, she winked at the two older ladies when they caught her eye.

Finally noticing Chris's presence in front of the table, her smile faded a little as she stepped over towards him. "Oh, hey Chris… I thought you were getting lunch and then heading to Hartford for the night."

"I was… But this is the only restaurant I know of in town, so I didn't know where else to go," He explained as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

Knowing that he could have eaten at the inn, and knowing that he knew it too, Lorelai nodded unconvinced. Well aware of what he was about to ask, she went ahead and bit the bullet. "Uh huh… well, I guess since you're here you can join me."

"That would be great, Lor, thanks." He smiled, stepping with her towards the counter.

Taking their seats, he grabbed the menu and gave it a once over. "So, whats good here for lunch?"

"We were just here last night, and I gave you the rundown. Surely your memory doesn't suck that bad."

"What's good for lunch isn't always good for dinner." He answered knowingly. "The cooks are different, so I didn't know if the one today is better than the one last night."

Ignoring his obvious underhanded jab at Luke's cooking last night, Lorelai shook her head. "Nope, it all tastes the same no matter when you get it. It's not like our parents houses where they change cooks every day."

"Or every meal." He laughed. Setting the menu down, he turned back to her and cocked his head. "Hey, do you remember that year at the vineyard when your mother fired the breakfast, lunch, and dinner chefs right after each meal claiming that she needed variety."

Her eyes widening at the memory, she laughed as her jaw dropped. "Oh, my gosh, yes! The vineyard disaster of 1980! Mom was in fine form that year." Pointing at him, she smirked. "You know, if I remember right, that was also the year you pushed me into the pool fully clothed. I'm sure your parents loved footing that dry cleaning bill."

Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. "Oh, please, you and I both know that you slipped in and blamed it on me!"

"I did not!"

"Did too!" He laughed along with her

Appearing out from behind the curtain, Luke walked in the dining room to see Lorelai's hand on Chris shoulder and both of them laughing. The smile left over from the events earlier immediately faded.

Grumbling under his breath, he walked over and interrupted. "Did you order with Caesar, or do I need to make it?" He asked plainly

Ending her laughing, she quickly caught her breath and took hand off Chris's shoulder. "Um, no, I didn't talk to Caesar. You know what I want though."

"It's Monday so chicken tenders and fries?"

"Yep. Thanks, babe."

To no one's surprise, Luke walked away without even regarding Chris or taking his order.

"Well, I guess I'm not eating lunch today." He deadpanned, looking at Lorelai knowingly.

Rolling her eyes, she waved him off. "He probably thought you already ordered."

"I didn't, and he didn't even ask."

"He normally doesn't have to. Caesar knows to take orders while Luke's not here. If you had come in while he was down here, he would have," she defended him, her attitude quickly turning from happy to defensive.

"Well, he asked you."

"Yes, but I'm special." She grinned, watching as Luke slid a coffee cup over to her. "See." Jilting her chin at the cup, she picked it up and hummed as she took a long sip, "I didn't even have to ask for coffee. I'm special."

"Yeah, in one way or another," He answered, making her jaw drop.

"How rude!"

Luke's blood boiled as he watched Lorelai and Chris chat out of the corner of his eye. From what he heard, the guy was supposed to be in Hartford today. At least that's what he had said last night when he claimed he couldn't spend the afternoon with Rory, yet there he was sitting at the counter instead.

After overhearing their conversation about him not ordering, he knew he was going to have to take Chris's order at some point, but catering to him for the second time in 24 hours was the last thing he wanted to do. Making his mind up quickly, he stepped into the kitchen to make Lorelai's lunch, sending Caesar out to deal with the order.

Completing Lorelai's order, he took hers out to her and proceeded to do the rounds of the room. Stopping by the older ladies' table once again, he pulled out his order pad and wrote out their tickets. "Either of you need anything else?"

Eyeing the couple sitting across the room, Patty jilted her chin at them. "I'd like to know how you're doing with that."

"I'm fine." He answered quickly, not willing to discuss his personal business.

"I'm glad you are," Babette added. "Because I know I'd be pissed if Morey's ex showed up and then cancelled her work for the day to follow him around town."

Mid-pen stroke, Luke looked back up. "He cancelled his meeting?"

Shrugging, she took a nonchalant drink of her coffee. "I'm just tellin' ya what he said… Patty heard it too."

At Patty's not of agreement, his blood began to boil. "Of course, he did." He grumbled, finishing up their bills. Tearing the paper off harshly, he sat it on the table. "Coffee's on the house. Stay as long as you want."

As he headed back over to the register, he took a few payments before he looked up to see Lorelai coming towards him as Chris walked the other direction towards the restroom.

Smiling as she approached, she dropped her purse on the counter and slid onto the stool in front of him. Immediately noting his scowl, she tilted her head to the side. "Everything okay?"

"I'm fine." He lied.

"Well, I thought I'd let you know that the food you made me was great, Luke. Some of your best work..." Reaching out, she took his hand from the counter and grinned mischievously. "Although, what you did earlier, _that_ was your best work."

Rolling his eyes, Luke lowered his voice. "We're in the diner." He scolded her.

Shrugging, she looked quickly around them. "I know, but no one's listening to us. But if they are, they are about to find out what a talented maker-outer you are."

"Lorelai..." He groaned.

Squeezing his hand, she reassured him with a smile. "Relax, no one started choking or laughing, so I don't think anyone is listening."

"Yeah, well, let's not chance it..." Turning around, he grabbed the fresh pot of coffee and turned back to her. "Do you need a cup to go?"

"Hmmm, say that slower and with your pants off." At his glare, she nodded. "Yes, I would. I need to restore my energy to make it through the rest of the work day." She winked.

Knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere with her, he made it for her quickly and handed it to her.

Lifting it, she took a sip and hummed happily. "Mmmm, thanks, doll." Leaning forward, he met her halfway for a kiss. "I'll see you later."

Returning to work, Luke grabbed a rag and began to wipe down the counter. Hearing footsteps coming his way, he looked up from the spot he had begun scrubbing to find Chris in front of him.

"That was a good meal. Give my complements to the cook."

Giving him a simple grunt of acknowledgement, he took his ticket from his hand.

Leaning forward onto the counter, Chris jilted his chin cockily. "You know, water heater problems can be tricky to work with. I guess that's what happened since you were upstairs a while."

Luke's head that was looking down at the keys on the register immediately flicked up, his eyes staring a hole through Chris. "Excuse me?"

Shrugging, he wore a cocky grin. "I'm just saying. From what I heard, you two were up there for a while. Doing anything else to with your time other than fixing what makes the business run is bad business practice."

"My business is doing just fine. Now would you care to pay for your meal, or are you going to stand there smirking like an idiot for the rest of the afternoon."

"Oh, I'll pay. I have plenty of funds to do so." He bragged, throwing out a $100 bill to pay his bill.

Punching in the bill, Luke grabbed the change and slid it to him unceremoniously. "Congratulations, you want a prize?"

"Nope, I've already got my eye on one. And it looks really nice." He answered suggestively

At this point, it was clear he wasn't even trying to be subtle. Referring to Lorelai as something to be won made Luke want to pummel the man into the ground. "Lorelai's not some cheap award to be won, she's more than that. So I suggest you change your way of referring to her before I throw your ass out on the street." He spat.

"Hey, man," Chris raised his hand in innocence. "You can do whatever you want, but that won't change the outcome of all this. Lorelai's meant for men who can perform grand gestures and who are good with words. All you've got is diner money and a few grunts. She may be wearing your ring now, but it won't be long before she wakes up and turns back to who she should rightly be with."

"You know, if you know what's good for you, you would get the hell out of here." He retorted, slamming the cash register drawer shut and gaining the attention of the rest of the diner that wasn't already eavesdropping.

"You obviously know I'm right if you're getting so angry about it." Wearing a cocky smirk, he dropped a few coins of change as a tip onto the counter. "Just think about it. You might want to save yourself some time and just move on. She and I are meant to be together, and, sometime soon, we will be."

"That would require you to stay around more than a few days, but everyone knows once you run out of money, you'll go running to your dad and disappear again." Shoving the coins back at him, Luke continued strongly. "By the way, stalking someone else's fiancée around town isn't a good idea. You might want to remember that."

At Chris's narrowed eyes, Luke gestured his head towards Patty and Babette. "For the record, word spreads fast around here, and word says you cancelled your meeting and showed up without Lorelai even knowing you were coming... Unless Rory's around, I don't think you'll set foot in this diner again."

Surrendering the last word, an action that came as a surprise to Luke, Chris turned and walked out the diner door and back towards the inn. Trying to rein in his anger, he started scrubbing at the non-existent stain on the counter, but it wasn't doing it for him.

Grabbing the coffee off the warmer forcefully, he began moving efficiently around the diner, trying to work it off.

"So, that's the other man," Babette spoke up while nudging Patty with her elbow as he made it to their table and refilled their cups.

"He's not the other man." Luke informed them bitterly, grabbing their empty plates.

"But he thinks he is." Patty countered him knowingly. "That boy wants Lorelai bad."

"But she doesn't want him."

"Oh, I'm not saying she does..." She answered, shaking her head. "But you know that Lorelai charm. She's a flirt and he's under her spell."

"You think she's flirting?"

Realizing what she said and hearing the well-hidden worry in his voice, Patty waved him off. "Oh, Luke. She's obviously not flirting with him intentionally. She wouldn't do that to you."

"Yeah," Babette backed her up. "But like Patty said, you know that charm Lorelai has. Sometimes it just pops out and she can't help it."

"Sure." Having collected everything, he eyed their table. "Can I get you guys anything else?"

"I think we're fine, dear, but we'll let you know if we think of somehin'."

Walking away, he took all of the dirty dishes back to the sink. Sending Caesar back out into the dining room, he mindlessly began working on the dishes. But while his hands moved, his mind was still stuck on the flirting comment. Knowing Lorelai, she was probably being her normal, friendly self, but the sight of her hands-on Chris flashed back through his mind as he scrubbed harshly at a plate. There was no doubt in his mind that Chris was there for Lorelai, but she was going to give him a chance for Rory. She's wouldn't give the time of day for herself… _"Right?"_ He mumbled aloud.

* * *

After being able to think on the Chris situation for the remainder of the afternoon, to say Luke was in a bad mood was an understatement.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Chris's words and Gossip Central's indication of flirting had him worked up. Really worked up. Shutting the door forcefully behind him as he came in the house that night, he headed straight to the kitchen and started working on dinner for the night.

Though he wasn't paying attention enough to notice it, it wasn't long before the front door slam to announce Lorelai's arrival.

"Hey, babe." Walking into the kitchen, Lorelai tossed her bag down on the table before going over to him. Gripping his side, she leaned up for a kiss. To her surprise, he didn't turn his head for the kiss like normally did, forcing her lips to fall on his cheek.

Pulling back, she placed a concerned hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

"Everything's fine," He said unconvincingly. "Just a crappy afternoon."

Her brows furrowed as she rubbed a hand down his back. "I thought we had a nice afternoon. What happened?"

"I had annoying customers after you left."

"That's nothing new. Was it Kirk?"

"No. It was some tourist, but I don't think the guy will be back again."

"Well, I guess that's good, then." Squeezing his side as she stepped away, Lorelai walked over to the fridge to get soda before sitting down. "How much longer do you think you have? I want to try to pick Rory up from the Kim's before dinner so she doesn't have to eat whatever weirdness Mrs. Kim has come up with this week."

"I don't know, Probably 30 minutes."

"Sounds good... And it's only the three of us tonight. Chris isn't coming tonight. He is spending the afternoon with Rory tomorrow."

Hiding his eyeroll by not turning towards her, Luke kept stirring at the pot on the stove. "As long as it's only Rory." He mumbled under his breath.

Mid-sip, Lorelai froze and sat her drink down on the table. "What?"

"Nothing." He answered plainly.

Arching a brow, she watched as he stood still. "If it was nothing, you would've said it louder."

Sighing, he stopped stirring and looked at her. "I said, as long as it's only Rory."

"Of course it's only Rory. Who else would be there?" As Luke ignored her question and started working again, Lorelai narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you implying that I would hang out with him."

"Would you?" He countered back.

"If Rory was there, probably. If not, no..."

"Then what was that show at lunch?"

Frustrated that he was getting worked up, she raised her voice to match his. "What _show_?"

"You with your hand on him." Sitting the spoon down, he turned to face her. "You two seemed pretty buddy-buddy this afternoon at the diner!"

"I was being friendly!" She exclaimed.

"Friendly enough to flirt with him and have your hands on him!" He yelled back.

"I'm sorry, when did this turn into a fight? Did I miss something," She questioned, throwing her hands out to the side. "For the record, my chat with Chris actually sarcastic teasing. I wasn't flirting! That's how we've always talked!"

"Well, it sounded conveniently similar to how you flirt with me!"

Gaping, she stood up from her chair and stepped towards him. "Are you serious right now? Where did all of this come from?"

"It doesn't matter!"

Unable to believe what she was hearing, she shook her head and questioned, "Are you _really_ telling me that you think I was flirting with Chris?"

"Were you?"

"Of course not, because I actually have respect for our relationship! But even if I didn't, Chris would be the last person I would pursue! Yeah, he's Rory's father, but unless he has a life altering change to become everything he's not, I have no interest!"

"So you admit it then!" Pointing at her, he accused, "You would be with him if he was a better father!"

"I didn't say that! You're putting words in my mouth! I could never want Chris again because I have you!"

"But he's from your world! I'm not! You're meant for men who could perform grand gestures and who are good with words, and I am neither of those!" He yelled, reiterating Chris's words from earlier verbatim.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing right now! I don't need grand gestures, expensive gifts, or some other shitty thing society tells me I need! I don't need anything or anyone! I don't even need you! I've lived without you before and I could do it again, but I choose you, Luke! Despite the fact that I am self-sufficient, I choose you!" Walking over to him, she closed the distance between them completely and raised up to be eye level with him. "You see this ring right here," She spoke heatedly, pointing to her left hand. "This is the ring that _you_ gave _me_. This means that I'm yours. _Yours_ , Luke, not Chris's! I said yes to you, and not him, and until you get that through your thick head, there's nothing else I can say!"

As her yell died out, her heaving breaths filled room. Taking in Luke's face, she noticed his tightly set jaw, which enraged her even more.

"And you have nothing to say? Even after all that, you can't think of anything?" Lowering back down onto her flat feet, Lorelai just stared at him as he stared up at the ceiling. "You know what," She spoke lowly, anger still dripping from her voice, "Be silent. I don't give a damn, but let me tell you, you better figure out whether or not you're going to trust me soon, or I'll make the decision easy on you." Grabbing her purse from the table, she looked at him intensely. "I'm going to get Rory, and I'm walking. So you'll have plenty of time to think of something to say by the time I get back, because we are _not_ done with this."

* * *

Dinner was tense to say the least. Not wanting to argue in front of Rory, Luke and Lorelai played nice for the rest of the night.

Insisting that he read to her before bed as per usual, Luke ended up with Rory downstairs, leaving Lorelai to her own devices upstairs.

Like Luke earlier in the day, as Lorelai sat on the bed all by herself, her thoughts quickly fell back to their fight, and she found herself even more worked up than before. As soon as Luke stepped into the room, he found her sitting at the foot of the bed with an angry look.

She didn't even give him time to close the door all the way before she began. "Okay, do you want to pick up where we left off, or are you gonna accuse me of sleeping with Chris too because I hugged him last night."

Though he had a feeling she would be starting right where they left off, Luke wasn't prepared for the anger that she clearly had. "Lorelai." He sighed.

"No, wait! I better make it clear that I have slept with him before! It was about 6 years ago, and I have proof of it downstairs!"

"Lorelai..." He tried harder.

"Don't you _Lorelai_ me! You started this and we're gonna finish it!" She countered, pointing at him. "I understand you're mad at Chris, but what I don't understand is why you are mad at me and accusing me? It's not my fault he's here, and there's nothing I can do. He's Rory's father"

Not that it was hard, but her yelling got him worked back up. Raising his voice to hers, Luke retorted. "And I get that! But he's barely even acknowledged Rory's existence. He's spent, what, maybe 10 minutes with her _at most_ since he got here?"

"And that's my fault, how?" She questioned.

"It's not! But that's not the point! You know who he's conveniently had the time to spend with though? You! When he came to see Rory last night, he spent more time talking to you than he did her, he's at the inn, and he magically appeared at the diner for lunch when he was supposed to be in Hartford working!"

Throwing her arms out to the side, Lorelai answered, "I know! I'm not blind! But what am I supposed to do about it! I already told you last night; I cant just send him away, because then he can come back and say that he tried and I wouldn't let him! I'm doing what I can here!"

"I know you are!" Pointing at her fiercely, Luke's jealousy reared its ugly head. "But he wants you, Lorelai, I know he does!"

"But I don't want him!"

Sighing heavily, he leaned back against the closed door. "Are you sure about that?"

Inhaling a sharp breath, she stared at him dumbfounded. "What the hell do you mean, am I sure? I _don't_ want him!" At his silence, her voice broke a little as she reiterated, "Luke, I _don't_ want him! If there's one thing you have to believe, that's it!"

Avoiding her eyes, his gaze fell to the floor.

The weight of his response, or the lack thereof, hit her like a truck. Trying to keep the anger that quickly turned to sadness in, she shook her head. "You know what? Fine. If you're gonna be like that, you can enjoy the rest of the night by yourself."

Moving out of the way, he let her leave the room. Turning the corner and going down the stairs, the tears that threatened in the room finally let loose and streamed down her face. The next few days were going to be harder than she thought.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Alright guys, here's the situation. This chapter took me FOREVER to write! I can't tell you how many times I wrote and re-wrote this, and to be honest, I'm still not sure if I am super happy with it. I don't even want to look at it anymore because I keep changing things, so here it is. I hope you guys liked it.**

 **Anyways, I'm sure you guys have noticed that I try to upload a new chapter every two weeks, and getting this chapter written took WAAYYYYY longer than that. For that, I am super sorry. On the bright side, though, I already have the next chapter almost completely written, so all it needs is a little tweaking. That being said, I am planning on uploading that one on the 20th of August, so you only have to wait FOUR days for the next one!**

 **Once again, I am sooooo sorry for the long wait, but I will make up for it And, like always, if you have any suggestions or comments, put them in a review. I LOVE to hear your feedback!**

 **XO S**


	46. Clouds Are Gone

***UPDATE 1/1/2019 PLEASE READ**

 ****NOTE: This isn't a chapter update, it's an authors note. If you want to know where I have been/what my plans are for this story, keep reading.**

 **Hey, guys! Long time no see, and Happy New Year! 2018 was quite the year...**

 **To start, I don't want anyone to think that I have forgotten this story. I know the fact that I haven't updated since August might make you think I have, but I promise I haven't, and I am sorry I haven't been active.**

 **After my last update, my life went crazy, to say the least, and it wasn't crazy in a good way. I had two family members pass away, including one that I was very close to. Around the same time as the passings, some unspeakable things happened to someone very close to me, and I'll just leave it at that. In the mean time, I also got a kidney stone, which was literally the most painful experience of my life. On top of all of that, I had a heavier class load for school and some other personal/anxiety issues... All in all, as you might have gathered, writing was not something I had time for or really felt like doing. As a result, I decided to take some time off of this story because I didn't feel like I could give y'all my best work.**

 **I finally sat down to write for the first time since August a couple of days ago, and, let me tell you, it was hard to write because I was out of practice. I had to go back and reread some of my story because I had forgotten some of what I wrote...but writing was also a relief. I found my creative outlet again, and realized just how much I love these characters and this story.**

 **Let me reiterate, I am so sorry that I haven't been writing, because you guys have been so supportive over this whole story. No, I have not finished my next update yet, but I wanted to let you all know that I have started it, and I still plan to keep this story going. You guys rock, and I hope you enjoy my upcoming updates!**

 **Xoxo S**

* * *

 **Chapter 46: Clouds Are Gone**

As the sun peeked through the blinds the following morning, Lorelai stretched and turned to her side. Instead of ending up next to Luke, like usual, she found herself falling heavily on the floor. Groaning, she sat up slowly. Looking up to the bed, it was clear Rory was still sound asleep but as she caught glimpse of Rory's clock out of the corner of her eye, she realized she shouldn't be.

"Shit!" She gasped, scrambling onto her feet. Nudging her awake quickly, she saw Rory's eyes slip open slowly. "Rory, you've got to get up, sweets! We're late!" She exclaimed.

Hearing the word late, Rory popped up quickly. "Mommy! I have school!" She whined, jumping out of the bed and running to her dresser. "Today's craft day! I don't want to be late!"

Seeing Rory scramble to get the drawer open, Lorelai walked over and slid it open smoothly. "We won't be late. I promise. Just put your dress and socks and shoes on, brush your teeth, and brush your hair. I'm gonna go get ready super fast, but I'll set out a pop tart for you first. Okay?"

"Okay."

Walking quickly out of the room, Lorelai darted immediately to the poptart cabinet and slipped two strawberry flavored pastries in the toaster. Scrambling over to the coffee maker, she grabbed the lukewarm pot and poured a large cup. Downing a gulp of her liquid energy, she leaned back against the counter and released a loud breath as she finally allowed herself to wake up.

Taking in the less than impressive coffee in her hands and lack of breakfast dishes in the sink, the reason for her waking up in Rory's rook without an alarm flooded her memory. "Damn Chris and damn Luke," she grumbled, taking another long drink of her drink. "Just a few days of tolerating each other, that's all, but no. They had to start a competition to see who's the bigger jackass." Looking down at the cup in her hand, she frowned. "At least Luke knows how to make coffee…"

The toaster pop pulling her from angry thoughts, she hurried to take them out and headed upstairs to try to find a way to make herself look presentable in 20 minutes. Thinking about the ego contest between the two men was going to have to wait.

* * *

Shutting the front door behind her 23 minutes later, Lorelai followed Rory to the Jeep, helping her settle into seat.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Rory?" She answered, taking the little girls bookbag and sitting it in the seat beside her.

"Are we gonna be on time?" She asked worriedly.

"We are." She answered. Shutting the side door, she opened the driver's door and climbed in. "You got ready super-fast, so we are going to be perfectly fine. You won't miss craft time."

As they pulled out of the driveway and drove through the roads of town, Lorelai heard a much less confident "Mommy," fall out of Rory's mouth.

Catching a glimpse of her in the rear-view mirror, Lorelai frowned at the serious look on her face. "Yeah, hon? What's wrong?"

"Is Dad picking me up today?"

Opening her mouth to answer, Lorelai stopped. Realizing she wasn't really sure which "dad" she was referring to, she asked, "Daddy Luke or Daddy Chris."

"Chris... Daddy Luke is Daddy and he is Dad." Rory explained.

She hadn't realized that Rory had started calling them different names, but thinking on it, remembered hearing her call Chris "Dad" his whole visit. "Then yes, your dad is picking you up at school. He wants to spend the afternoon with you, and he is going to bring you back before dinner."

Frowning, Rory looked at Lorelai earnestly in the mirror. "But what if he doesn't get me? I don't want to be at school all by myself."

The whole time, she knew Rory might worry about Chris liking her, but she didn't even think about Rory questioning if he would even show up in the first place. Questions that Rory came up with never ceased to surprise her. Finally pulling off the road, she pulled into the parking lot of the school and put the car in park. Unbuckling, she turned around to give Rory her full attention. "Rory, are you worried that your dad isn't going to show up?"

At her hesitant nod, she sighed. _"Chris's less than stellar track record strikes again…" She thought._ Reaching out, she took a strong hold of her hand. "Sweets, I know your dad hasn't always showed up, but he promised me yesterday that he was going to come and get you."

"But what if he doesn't. He broke his promise before."

Sighing, she squeezed her hand in reassurance. "I really think he will... But I will call the diner and see if Luke to go by the school when it gets out to make sure you aren't left all by yourself. Will that make you feel better?"

"Yeah." She answered, nodding once again.

"Then that's what I'll do. I promise you won't be left alone, okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

After dropping Rory off, Lorelai didn't bother stopping by the diner. She wasn't really in the mood to and figured her phone call would she arrived the inn, she focused on reviewing the messages left for her from the night shift and from before she got there.

Looking at the clock an hour or so later, she knew the breakfast rush was over by then. On one hand, she knew she needed to make the call, but, on the other, they hadn't spoken since last night. She wasn't in the best of moods and knew he wouldn't be either, but if there was one thing she would always be sure about, it was his care for Rory.

"Luke's."

"Hey it's me." She spoke up, not breaking into rambling like she normally would when he answered the phone.

"Oh, hey."

Awkward silence filled the line.

"Look," She sighed, "I know your mono-syllabic ways are probably in overdrive, so you don't have to try to think of anything to say to me. This isn't about us or Chris; it's about Rory. I need to ask you a favor."

"Even if it was about you, you know you don't have to ask." He answered immediately. "Just tell me."

"Chris is supposed to pick Rory up from school, but since he hasn't been the most reliable about showing up in the past, Rory is afraid he won't show and she'll be left at school all by herself. Can you stop by the school when it gets out and make sure you see that Chris gets her?"

"Of course..."

If she heard him right, Lorelai heard Luke take a breath that sounded like he was going to continue but remained silent. Remaining quiet, she waited a second before questioning "Luke?"

"Yeah"

Sighing, she picked at some tape stuck to the front desk as she continued. "I know you have something to say so say it."

Hesitating for a second before speaking, he spoke up carefully, his voice laced with concern. "Are you sure it's a good idea to trust him with her all by himself? What if he tries to take off with her?"

"Chris has a hard-enough time being around her for a few hours. Trust me, he won't try to take her away... but then again, you haven't trusted me this week with much, so you just think what you want."

"Lorelai..."

Frowning, though he couldn't see it, she apologized. "I'm sorry. That was rude, but really you don't need to worry." She could tell by his sigh he wanted to stay on the Chris topic, so she pressed on. "I know you want to, but I'm not getting into this with you now. I'm not in the mood. I woke up late because I wasn't in our room to hear my alarm, my coffee was barely warm, and, to be honest, I'm still pissed at you, so now is not the time to try to discuss Chris with me. Maybe later... I'll see you tonight."

With the abrupt ending to their phone call, she sat it back down on the cradle and looked around the lobby. In her mind, she knew more than anything that she needed coffee. After getting someone to watch the desk, she decided to do exactly that.

"Hey Sook," Lorelai called plainly as she headed straight for the pot.

Turning from the stove, Sookie eyed her up and down and frowned. "Good morning, sunshine. Rough morning?"

"You could say that." Pouring a cup, she turned back to her. "Is it that noticeable?"

"Considering you're wearing two different heels, I'd say yes."

Her jaw dropping, she looked down to see that she was, in fact, wearing two different shoes. "Dammit, I knew buying a pair in black and a pair in brown would come back to bite me in the ass."

Transferring carrots into the pot on the stove, Sookie wiped her hands and turned the burner lower. Walking over, she poured a cup of coffee herself. "So, did you not look in the mirror before you left, or…?"

"I barely had time. I didn't hear my alarm go off this morning, so I woke up with about 20 minutes to get ready."

"You didn't hear your alarm? Didn't you buy the loudest alarm clock on the planet to prevent this from happening?"

"Yes, but the clock only works if I'm in my room."

She had been stirring her coffee, but she quickly froze. She could tell by Lorelai's attitude that it wasn't because of some random rendezvous with Luke outside of the confines of their room. Looking at her curiously, she frowned. "Where were you?"

Sighing Lorelai took a sip of her drink and sat it down. "I slept downstairs with Rory last night."

"That doesn't sound good."

"It wasn't..."

"Well, come on..." she pressed. "You can't just leave me hanging. What happened?"

"It's a long story, but basically Luke and I hashed it out about Chris, he accused me of wanting Chris, and I couldn't even tolerate being in the same room as him, so I went downstairs."

"He thinks you want Chris? Is he insane?"

"That's what I said! But apparently, he is. I went downstairs to try to cool off, so I checked in on Rory, and decided to lay beside her and watch her like I used to at the potting shed, but I fell asleep... hence the running late and mismatched shoes."

Smiling sadly, Sookie sat her coffee on the counter. "I'm sorry, honey. I knew once you told me Chris was back that it would be stressful, but I didn't think it would be this bad."

"Tell me about it..." Shaking her head, Lorelai looked back at her with a sad frown. "You should have heard him, Sook. He seriously thinks I would leave him for Chris, but you know that's the _last_ thing I would do."

"I do... but apparently for some reason he doesn't."

Breaking them from their conversation, the door to the kitchen swung open. The worker Lorelai told to watch the desk came, needing her to come back to the desk because of someone on the who needed to move reservations.

Sliding her coffee over to her, Lorelai straightened up to head back to work. "Alright, I'll talk to you later, Sookie."

* * *

After hanging up at the desk, Lorelai flipped through reservation book. Arriving back at the current day, she frowned immediately as she saw Chris's name appear in front of her. In the back of her mind, she knew his presence would cause trouble, but not this much. Once again, the question riding in the back of her mind the whole visit reappeared. She wasn't stupid. He didn't just pop up for the job or to see Rory, like he claimed. His dad had been offering him a job for years, and Rory was around any time, but he still never came. Her engagement was probably the spark, but how did he even know about it?

Freezing as she went to flip a page, something clicked. _"How did he know?"_ She thought. They hadn't had contact with him in almost a year, but suddenly, after engagement, he popped back up. There was no way for him to know about the engagement except…

The lightbulb finally flickering on in her mind, Lorelai reached for the phone again and dialed the familiar number.

"Gilmore residence."

"Yes, is Mrs Gilmore there? It's her daughter."

"She is. One moment please."

Listening carefully, Lorelai noticed shuffling on the other end before she heard "This is Emily Gilmore."

"Did you call him?" She questioned immediately with force.

"Lorelai?"

"Yes, Lorelai. Now, answer me. Did you call him?"

"Am I going to get a specification over who "him" is or am I just supposed to guess?"

Rolling her eyes, Lorelai specified, "Chris, Mom! Christopher Hayden! He just magically showed up in Stars Hollow out of the blue, and he expects me to believe that he just came for Rory! But for some reason, I don't believe him, and I want to know if you had something to do with it!"

"Well, if you would have specified faster, then I might have been able to answer you quicker."

"Mom, could you please cut the crap and just answer me."

Shocking her, Emily spoke a plain, "No, Lorelai, I did not call Christopher."

Definitely not the answer she was expecting, Lorelai released a loud breath before speaking calmer. "You _didn't_ call him."

"No, I didn't." Emily answered confidently. "In fact, the last time I heard from him was most likely the last time you did as well."

"Then why the hell did he decide to show up?"

She didn't realize she had said it out loud until her mother responded. "Considering you've done everything possible to keep me out of your life, I'm not sure why you're asking me."

"This is not the time to go there, mom. I've got too much going on to fight with you too..." Rapping her fingers on the desk, Lorelai prodded, "So you're sure that you haven't had any kind of contact with Chris lately? You didn't mention the engagement to Francine just so she would tell him and he'd come back?"

"No, Lorelai, I haven't..." Before Lorelai could think of an answer, Emily spoke up again. "But now that I think about it, your father mentioned that he had an encounter with Straub Hayden recently."

Her hand flying to her forehead, she sighed. "Oh, my gosh, I knew it... I knew there was no way you guys were okay with me and Luke!"

Rolling her eyes, Emily sat down at the chair by the phone desk. "Don't be so dramatic, Lorelai. As much as Luke is not what your father and I envisioned for you, we've both realized that trying interfering would only make things worse. I'm sure if you're father mentioned your engagement to Straub, he didn't intend to harm your relationship with Luke."

"Well, whether it was intended or not, he did..."

"He did? Are you and Luke having problems?"

Shocked by the concern that was actually genuine, Lorelai paused for a moment before answering. "No, not problems, just a problem. A problem with Christopher. But hearing that dad saw Straub makes everything make sense."

"Is there anything else that I can help you with?"

"Not at the moment."

Opening her mouth to try to end the call, Lorelai was interrupted by her mother speaking up again.

"And the wedding? Are you still allowing your father and I to purchase the invitations and dress? You know those things come with a time frame…"

"Yes, mother, I do. Once Chris leaves I'll call you to set something up."

"As long as you don't wait too long."

"I wont… But thanks, Mom. I'll talk to you later."

Hanging up the phone, Lorelai looked up to see Mia standing in front of her.

"Your mother? Is wedding planning mode in full swing?" She asked with genuine interest.

"Not yet… she'd like it to be, though."

"Well, not that I want to pressure you into anything," Mia started, proceeding when she noted Lorelai's genuine interest. "But I wanted to talk to you about my involvement with the wedding. I mentioned it last week before your vacation."

Remembering the quick conversation before she left the inn, Lorelai nodded. "I remember… but I'm not sure now is the best time," She revealed vaguely.

Leaning against the front desk, Mia pointed. "Let me guess, something is going on between you and Lucas."

Not even trying to hide it, she questioned, "How did you know?"

"Christopher is here." Mia answered plainly with a shrug. Smirking a little, she added, "Also, when I went by the diner earlier, the Grinch was burning things and yelling at everyone."

"Well, he has no right to yell and be upset when he's the one that started it all." Lorelai mumbled under her breath with an eye roll.

"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good. Anything you want to talk about?"

"I don't know, Mia. I think I'm still trying to process everything."

"Well, I'll tell you what. I have a meeting soon, but why don't you come to my office in about an hour and a half. I already want you to come talk to me in a little while anyway, and we can talk about Lucas too if you want."

* * *

As Mia expected her to, Lorelai found herself knocking on the office door later that afternoon. Taking a seat on the couch, Lorelai was met with Mia coming to sit beside her.

Cutting straight to the point, Lorelai questioned, "So, you mentioned the wedding?"

"I did…" At her curious look, Mia continued, "So, I was wondering if you had a venue for the wedding yet."

"We've talked about it, but nothing is set in stone." She shrugged.

"Okay..." Holding up a cautious hand in warning, Mia spoke convincingly. "Now, hear me out before you make a decision, but I was wondering what you thought about doing it at the inn."

"Mia, you..."

"Uh uh, let me finish." She smiled. "I was looking at our fall wedding calendar, and I noticed that the date of your wedding is open. I want you to know that if you're at all interested at holding the wedding here, I will hold the date for you and it will come at a heavily discounted price."

"By heavily discounted, you mean free, right?" Lorelai questioned, a knowing look spreading on her face.

"If you'll accept it, then yes."

Shaking her head, Lorelai looked at her plainly. "That's so sweet of you to offer, but I'm not sure I can do that."

"Are you saying that because you don't want to have it here or because I want to let you have it for free?" At Lorelai's downward glance, Mia grinned. "That's what I thought... Sweetheart, I'm not trying to force this on you, so I don't want you to see it that way. It's 100% your choice. But I want you to see it as my wedding gift to you if you truly want it."

"Honestly, I've thought about having it at the inn, but I didn't know if it would be budget."

"Well, it will be in your budget, but talk to Lucas first and see what he says."

Frowning at the mention of his name, Lorelai shrugged. "If the we even make it that far in the planning then I will..."

Surprised by her negativity, Mia titled her head in confusion. "Why do you say that? Are you having second thoughts?"

"I'm not... Luke, on the other hand..." Lorelai sighed.

"I'm assuming this uncertainty has something to do with this problem you mentioned earlier."

"You could say that." She nodded. Leaning back against the couch, she looked at the ceiling. "If things keep going the way they are, I don't think Luke will meet me at the altar."

"Oh dear, what happened?"

"Last night Luke came at me out of no where about flirting with Chris, and he went as far as to accuse me of wanting him…"

"Were you flirting?"

"No!" Lorelai exclaimed instantly. At Mia's smile, she regained her composure and spoke back at a normal level. "I wasn't flirting. I was being nice because I have to… And Luke decided to let me know that he thought it was flirting." Shaking her head at the memory of the fight, Lorelai sighed. "But it wasn't even that that made me the most upset. Mia, Luke genuinely told me that he thinks I would leave him for Chris because Chris has all the society things I supposedly need."

"So, what you're telling me is Lucas is jealous of Christopher, and he's afraid he's going to lose you to him." Mia answered knowingly.

"Apparently, but I don't have any clue why." She shrugged. "Yes, I love Chris, but only in the sense that I love him for giving me Rory. That's all. My feelings for him dont go anyway further."

"And you've told Lucas that?"

"Of course! We discussed this a while back before Chris even showed up, but I guess all of that went in one ear and out the other. That's why I don't know what to say to him because there isn't anything that I haven't already said. I am his fiancée, for heaven's sake, if that doesn't show him that I want to be with him, I don't know what will."

"Sometimes, things like that don't really come to light until they happen. He could hear your words all he wanted, but you and I both know Luke has to see things to believe them some times."

"And I get that, but he hasn't seen anything that should make him think anything other than that I am _all in_ with him."

Putting her head in her hands, Lorelai groaned loudly before looking up with sad eyes. "Mia, I'm scared."

"Sweetheart..." Taking her hands, Mia spoke softly. "What are you scared of."

"I'm scared this isn't going to work after all."

"Do you want to explain why?"

Taking a breath, she explained, "This is our second big fight in a month. First over parenting Rory and now this! What if we can't stop fighting."

Smiling sadly, Mia shook her head. "If you were fighting over something small every time and taking jabs at each other, then I would be. But parenting Rory and Christopher aren't small matters... they're very important. Now you know each other's feelings, and can move forward... Yes, fighting is terrible, but both of you are such strong personalities, it should be expected every once in a while."

"I know. I just hate it." Looking at the wall behind Mia, she stared at it before looking back and locking eyes with her. "But aside from the fighting, what if he doesn't believe me? I can deal with the jealousy, but I can't live with him not trusting me."

"Deep down, I think he does believe you... I just don't think he trusts himself to be enough for you."

Thinking on it for a second, she nodded understandingly. "You know he said that?"

"Said what?"

"That he doesn't think he's enough for me. He thinks I want men who perform grand gestures and who are good with words, but I don't. I lived the life of money and societal perfection, now I just want the life of love, and I have that with him... I don't understand why he doesn't get that."

"Men who perform grand gestures and who are good with words?"

Taking in Mia's disbelief, Lorelai held up her hands in innocence. "They aren't my words…That's what he said!"

Shaking her head, Mia shrugged. "No offense, dear, but that doesn't sound like something Lucas would say."

"Well he did. I don't know where else he'd get it from! I didn't say it, so who else..." Before she could finish the sentence, realization struck. "Oh my gosh, the diner, yesterday. He claimed it was a tourist customer who pissed him off... It was Chris!" She exclaimed, slapping the seat she was sitting on. "How did I not realize that… Gah, I'm dumb."

"No, hon, you're in love. I'm afraid that once your heart is involved in things, the most obvious things never occur to you. You turn into a moron."

"That's the truth..." Thinking on the situation and suddenly having the desire to talk to him, Lorelai shrugged. "You know, Rory's supposed to be spending the afternoon with Chris today, so maybe we can talk before he brings her back... I want to try to fix this ASAP"

Patting her hands, Mia stood up from the couch. "I think you should… Believe me, everything is going to be fine. I know it may seem rough now, but it's you and Lucas. You and I both know you two are meant for each other."

At Lorelai's blushed face, she smiled. "Now keep it together and work through this. You two have been through too much to let this change things."

* * *

Hours later, longer than she expected, Lorelai finally closed the inventory book and slid it back in the drawer. After realizing that no one had taken inventory over the weekend while she was gone, she was forced to rush and get the numbers of what they needed before the order had to be placed the next morning.

Catching sight of the clock as she sat down in the chair behind the front desk for a moment, she noted the 5:15 time. She had all intentions of going to Luke's but things got busy, making the day go by faster than she realized.

After taking a loud breath, she stood back up, ready to finally clock out, when the time registered. Freezing, she stared back at the clock on the desk. "5:15?" Looking across the room to make sure she wasn't crazy, she stared in fear at the same 5:15 showing.

Her body moving before her mind registered, Lorelai scrambled to Mia's office. "Mia, you haven't seen Chris come in with Rory, have you?"

Looking up over her glasses from her desk, Mia shook her head. "I haven't. Am I supposed to?"

"We were supposed to see him around 4:30 because that's when he was supposed to be back! It's 5:15, and he's not here!"

By the increased volume of her voice, Mia could tell she was starting to freak out. "Okay, Lorelai, now hold on a second. Have you called the diner? Maybe Christopher took her there."

"He was supposed to come back here!"

"I know that, but maybe he got confused." Holding out the phone from her desk, she instructed, "Call Lucas and then we will go from there."

Taking a deep breath, Lorelai took the phone and dialed the diner number quickly.

"Lukes!"

"Is Rory there?" Lorelai answered back, not even bothering to let him know who was on the other line.

"No, she's not. Is she supposed to be? Is everything okay?"

Her heart sinking immediately, Lorelai spoke quickly. "No, it's not! Chris was supposed to be back with her almost an hour ago, and they're not here!" Clearly from his end of the line, she heard his sharp intake of breath.

This was his biggest fear come true "It will be okay, Lorelai, I'm on my way."

Fear flooded his mind as he felt his pockets for and successfully found his keys. He knew this was one of his concerns, but Lorelai genuinely trusted Chris to bring Rory right back. Remembering the fear in her voice as he stepped out the back door, he knew she needed him, fight or not.

Making it to the inn in record time, he rushed into the lobby to find Lorelai standing at the front desk phone.

"Luke!" She called him over loudly. Taking her attention back to the person on the other end of the call, she nodded as she answered. "Okay, Patty. If you could just keep an eye out for me, that would be amazing."

As soon as she hung the phone, Luke walked around the desk to her. "Tell me everything. Did patty know something?" He questioned

Shaking her head, she looked at him with shining eyes. "Babe, no one has seen her or Chris."

Placing a strong, comforting hand on her arm he spoke supportively. "Hey, don't freak out. We'll find her. Do you know what they were doing today?"

"They were supposed to hang around here. Not here, here, but in Stars Hollow and maybe Hartford. But who knows? Maybe he had plans to go to Woodbridge or something and didn't tell me. I don't know." She rambled and turned to begin to pace.

Catching her hand before she could step too far, Luke stared her straight in the eye. "Lorelai, you've got to calm down. Getting worked up is not going to help this... "

"Luke, he's almost an hour late and he has Rory. Our Rory… I have to stress."

"Well, you've already called Patty. I'm sure all of Stars Hollow is on the look out now. Let's focus on Hartford now. Do you know what they were planning on doing?"

Working on gathering herself, she sat down in the chair beside them and looked at him with a shrug. "Um… Not exactly. He mentioned taking her to the library down town, but it wasn't set in stone."

"Do you want me to go there and check?"

She was seriously considering answering yes, but a lightbulb went off in her mind, reminding her of someone else who could find out faster. "No… I need to call Mom."

Grabbing the phone, she dialed quickly. "I need to speak to Emily Gilmore. It's her daughter again.," She spoke to maid before she could even finish asking who was calling. "It's important."

Taking hold of the phone, Emily spoke plainly. "If calling me to yell at me again,"

"Mom, I need your help. We can't find Rory. or Chris" Lorelai interrupted her, without concern for what was at the end of her mother's sentence.

Gasping, Emily didn't even make the careless comeback she normally would. "What do you need me to do?"

"Chris was supposed to take her to Hartford to visit the big library downtown. Do you have the number?"

"Your father's friend is the head of the library, and he is there on a daily basis. I'll call him now and check. Do you need me to check anywhere else?"

"No, but I'll let you know… thanks Mom."

As she hung up the phone, a heaviness weighed on her that couldn't be relieved until she heard back from her mother. Looking at Luke with, once again, tear filled eyes, she shook her head and leaned on him. "Luke, if he took her, I don't know what I am going to do."

"He didn't take her," He reassured her, running his hands through her hair.

"But what about what you said earlier?"

Shaking his head, he spoke again. "He didn't take her. It doesn't matter what I said earlier. We are going to find them."

In all reality, Luke knew in his mind that he didn't believe all of what he said to be true. He didn't trust Chris, and if it was proven that he did take Rory, there was nothing that was going to stop him from finding her and finally driving him into the ground like he always wanted to.

"Gah, I feel so helpless sitting here." Lorelai said softly. "I just want to know that she's okay. That they just lost track of time or something…"

Her wishful thinking was broken by the sound of the phone ringing. Scrambling for it, she grabbed it and answered with a loud, "Mom?"

Cutting right to the chase, Emily relayed the information she had been told. "He said they left about an hour ago, Lorelai, but they were there,"

Sighing loudly, the hand of hers that was holding Luke's tightened. "Then where the hell are they?"

Emily's frank tone remained as she explained the other option that suddenly popped in her mind. "I'll call your father, and he can call Straub Hayden to see if he has heard from him… I'll come to Stars Hollow."

"No mom… You don't…"

"Lorelai," She interrupted plainly, "I'm coming, and there's nothing you can do about it. Call the car phone if you hear anything before I get there."

Hanging up the phone, Lorelai relayed the information to Luke. "They were at the library, but they left almost an hour ago. Dad's going to call Chris's dad to see if he has heard from him, and Mom is coming here."

Taken aback, Luke's eyebrows raised. "Your mother is coming here?"

"She insisted… I guess it's good that we have one more person on the look out for them." Standing up, she wrapped her arms around Luke's waist and leaned into him. "Tell me everything is going to work out. Tell me that Chris is just running late or something. Tell me Rory is fine."

"I already did," He answered, running his hands up and down her back soothingly as her grip tightened on him.

"Tell me again."

Pulling back, he placed a hand on her cheek and forced her to look at him. "Everything is going to be fine, Lorelai. Chris is just running late, and Rory is okay."

So there they stood, in the middle if the inn, waiting for the call. As people bustled in and out, they kept an attentive eye on the door, hoping Chris and Ror would appear. An unknown amount of time to them later, out of nowhere, the phone began to ring.

Looking at the phone and back and Luke, Lorelai's eyes widened with fear again. Releasing her, he grabbed the phone and handed it to her. "It could be him. It could be your dad, but you'll never know until you answer it."

"Hello?" Lorelai spoke hesitantly into the phone.

Her eyes brightening and her shoulders releasing all of their tension, Luke knew immediately that something good was on the other end of the line.

"Oh my gosh, Mom! Thank you!" Lorelai exclaimed loudly in relief. "Yes, I want to talk to her! Put her on."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile in between Hartford and Stars Hollow…**_

" _Yes, I know it's only been an hour, but if Rory doesn't show up soon, I'm sure Geoff Jenkins can get his people involved. He owes us anyway." Emily spoke commandingly, watching as the mile markers passed by. "I know you don't Richard, but our granddaughter is missing, so you're going to have to call Straub anyway. I'm going to see Lorelai, and if there are any developments, I'll let you know…"_

 _Hanging up the car phone, she sat back in the seat, looking out the window. The fact that Lorelai called for her help shocked her, but there was no way in hell she was going to stay in Hartford. If something really did happen, she in Richard would do everything in their power to find Rory._

 _As she and the driver were about 30 minutes out, they drove up on a Volvo stopped on the side of the road. Eyeing the man that was standing outside, she noted something familiar about his form. Catching a glimpse of the side of his face as they pulled closer, she realized who the man was._

" _Stop!" She yelled, staring at the window in surprise. The driver, looking through the rearview mirror curiously, did as she yelled and pulled over to a stop just past the car._

" _Christopher!" She yelled as she opened her door, not bothering to wait for the attendee to open in for her._

 _Turning around, Chris looked at her in shock. "Emily?"_

" _What the hell do you think you're doing? Taking Rory and not returning! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Walking up to him, she looked in the back of the car to see Rory sitting in the back, clearly oblivious and reading a book._

" _I'm sorry?" He questioned, looking at her in shock._

" _Lorelai called me and told me you were supposed to be back with Rory an hour ago! She thinks you took her!"_

 _His eye's widening, Chris gestured back to the car. "The rental got a flat tire, and I didn't' know how to fix it. I've been trying for the past half hour, but no one has stopped to help."_

 _Rolling her eyes at his incompetence, Emily shook her head. "Go get Rory, and I'll take the two of you back. You can call a tow company with the phone in the car."_

 _After ensuring the car's pick up with a tow truck company, Emily helped get Rory settled safely in the back of the car. Picking up the phone again, she dialed the inn number Lorelai had called her from._

" _Hello, Lorelai…I just wanted to call you and let you know Rory is safe. I found Christopher with her on the side of the road. Apparently, his rental car had a flat tire and he wasn't able to fix it." At Lorelai's sigh of relief, she looked over at Rory who was staring at her expectantly. "Would you like to talk to Rory?" She asked, knowing what she wanted. "Alright. Here she is."_

 _As Rory picked up the phone, Emily stared down Christopher._

 _Feeling her eyes on him as he stared out the window, he turned to see her looking at her with a frown. "You seriously can't believe that I was trying to take Rory."_

" _No, I don't…"_

" _Then that death glare you are shooting me is because…"_

 _Crossing her arms in front of her, she looked at him once over. "How long are you planning on being around this trip?"_

 _Shrugging, he looked past her. "I don't know. A few more days. Why?"_

 _Not willing to give an inch, she continued to press. "Are you planning on coming back? Or are you going to disappear for a year again?"_

 _Narrowed his eyes at her. "No offense, Emily, but I don't think I have to announce my plans to you."_

" _No, you're right. You don't." She agreed. "But you also don't need to play with my granddaughter's emotion. Children need a mother and a father, so you need to decide if that's you or not…"_

" _So I need to decide if I'm her father or if I'm going to allow that other guy to be. That's what you mean isn't it…" Chris answered with an eye roll. "I didn't think you would like him."_

" _This is not about me and whether or not I agree with Lorelai's choices. This is about your responsibility with Rory." Looking over and seeing that Rory was still on the phone with Lorelai before continuing, she spoke rigidly. "From the little interaction I've had with her, I know she is a bright girl. Bright enough to notice how every other child in her life's father is around in ways hers is not. She does not need to question herself because of you. You need to make a choice."_

 _The rest of the ride back to town was filled only with small conversation between Emily and Rory, as Chris stared out the window in silence._

* * *

Finally pulling up to the inn, Rory bounded out of the car and ran straight to Lorelai. "Mommy!" She yelled, hopping into her arms.

"Hi, my sweets! I missed you!" Lorelai exclaimed. Having cried out the emotion that had built up while they still thought she was missing before they arrived at the inn, she was able to keep face and act as though nothing happened.

"Hi, Daddy!" She added as she slid out of her mother's arms and went over to him. "You're not at work."

"Not anymore" He answered plainly, squeezing her back as she reached up to hug him. "I'm gonna spend the rest of the night with you and Mommy."

As Rory continued to chat with Luke, Lorelai looked back towards the car to see Emily and Chris standing near it. Approaching slowly, she nodded at Chris as she took her attention to her mom. "Hi, mom… Thanks for your help," She spoke up, smiling at her small.

"It's no problem, Lorelai. I'm glad I could help," She admitted. Sensing the tension between Chris and Lorelai, she excused herself. "Since everything is settled, I need to call your father and let him know everything is all right. I'll be back."

As she stepped away, Lorelai sighed and looked at Chris. "You scared the hell out of me today."

"I can't believe you honestly thought I took Rory." He admitted, shaking his head. "Lor, I'm not a criminal."

"I don't think you are," She answered quickly and defensively. "But what else was I supposed to think when you didn't show back up when you said you would?"

"You could have thought that my tire went flat, because that is what happened. Your mind didn't have to go to the worst and think I was a kidnapper." He countered, rolling his eyes.

"You're right. Considering you can barely spend more than a few hours at a time with Rory without needed a break, I guess I shouldn't have thought that." She retorted snidely, making him frown. Sighing, she ran her hands over her face. "Look, this is probably not the best time to talk, considering how wound up I am from this afternoon... Do you have a meeting tomorrow morning?"

"Not until 11."

Thinking on his response for a second, she nodded. "Okay, I'll call up to your room before then, and we can decide somewhere to talk."

Seeing him off into the inn, Lorelai turned back around to find Emily beside her again. "Your father is glad everything is okay…"

"I am too," She admitted, watching Rory who was now explaining heaven knows what to Luke. "Thanks for calling the library today, and for finding them on the way here… You didn't have to do that."

"No, I didn't." Emily answered plainly, "But I wanted to. She's my granddaughter."

Taking her eyes off Rory, Lorelai looked back at her. "So, uh, I didn't interrupt anything by calling, did I?"

"I was working on organizing an event with Tweeny Halpern, but the numbers don't have to be finalized until tomorrow afternoon."

"Is it okay if I call tomorrow night about the wedding stuff then? I'm free to talk if you are."

A genuine small grin crossing her face, Emily nodded. "Your father is having dinner with some friend's tomorrow night, so I have time."

"Good… Sounds good." She smiled back.

"Well, I am going to head back to Hartford since this is settled. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Lorelai. Have a good night."

"We will. Goodbye, Mom."

After arriving home, Lorelai headed straight for the couch as Rory ran to her room to put up the stuff and change into her pajamas, since they were going to be in for the rest of the night. Watching as Luke came in after making sure the door was locked, she spoke up before he could head into the kitchen to make dinner. "Thank you for being there for me today."

Stopping at the kitchen doorway, he turned around to face her with a plain face. "I wouldn't have been anywhere else."

Shrugging, she looked down at the floor. "Yeah... but after the past few days, I wasn't sure."

Walking over, he took a seat on the cushion beside her and sighed. "Lorelai, you never should have doubted that..."

Looking straight at him, she nodded. "Yeah, but you never should have doubted me..."

Sighing, he nodded as he spoke admittingly, "I know... and while throwing a tantrum like a child, he was probably planning a way to swoop in and try to take you from me."

"And yet, here I am with you and not him at the inn. What does that tell you?"

Holding up his hands in surrender, he admitted. "I get it. I know. I was being so damn insecure over a guy who I know you have _no_ interest in. Even if he did try to take you from you, I know you wouldn't even entertain the idea."

"You're right. I'm with you 100%." Looking down at his hand that had slipped down into hers, she frowned. "I don't know if you realize it, babe, but the fact that you questioned my faithfulness at all really hurts."

"I'm sorry Lorelai."

"Luke, can I ask you something," she asked hesitantly, rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand. At his nod, she continued. "Where did all that stuff about you not being good enough come from? Did it come from Chris?"

When he didn't speak up right away, Lorelai immediately knew she and Mia had hit the nail right on the head. "Luke…" She whispered as his eyes fell to the floor.

When he finally looked back up at her, he was met with a small smile. "I love you, Luke. _You_. Not your money; not your stuff; not your words. You."

Shaking his head, he chuckled. "I don't really know why, but I'm damn glad you do."

Frowning at his self-deprecation, she shook her head. "You really don't know? Luke, I love you for all that you are. I love your personality, your relationship with Rory, your humor, your body, your one-patterned wardrobe, everything. I even love how grumpy you are, and how you're just a big teddy bear underneath." Seeing his mouth open, she immediately knew where he was going and held up a hand. "Yes, I know you don't have the money Chris does or the connections Chris does, but that's not what I am looking for from you. I've lived that life that he can offer me, now I just want the life of love, happiness, acceptance, and everything else that makes the world great, and I have that with you. I am not just happy with you, I am completely content."

Having no other thought of how to react, Luke leaned in and pressed his lips to her softly.

Pulling back, Lorelai smiled and ran her hand across his cheek. About to go back in for more, they were interrupted by Rory's call for food from the kitchen. Laughing softly, she stood up and pulled him up with her. "We'll talk more later after she goes to bed, but we're good for now, right? No more dark clouds over us?" At his nod and smirk, she wrapped a hand around his arm and walked with him towards the kitchen. "Good… Now let's eat. You owe me a meal since I didn't have your cooking for breakfast _or_ lunch."

 **A/N: If you forgot to post your fanfic chapter even though it was already done, raise your hand!**

 **Sorry guys, I stupidly didn't realize the 20th had gone by and I didn't post. I'm a little late, but here is the chapter.**

 **My next chapter is pretty much the resolution of everything, so don't worry abot me dragging in unnecessary drama. I really only brought Chris in to take care of what I thought was the final, major "bump in the road" for Lorelai and Luke to cross before they get married. Chris never has and never will have a big place in my world... If y'all havent gathered yet, I really don't like him XD**


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